Quiet Like the Snow
by Rose Hunter
Summary: What would it take for things to be quiet... quiet like the snow?
1. The Reapings

**So I get that some of you were really confused about what happened with this story. It wasn't on my profile for a while and you were all like, "What?" So not I'm going to tell you what the heck happened. Apparently, the Admins decided it would be a good idea to remove this story. Lately, if you haven't noticed, they've been on a deleting spree and took down almost all of the SYOTs on the site. *shrugs* Oh well, since when do I follow the rules? Admins, if you are reading this, I took out all the parts you were freaking out about and took it down for the first time! Does that make you happy? Sheesh. Anywho, I would have reposted this sooner but they also decided to ban me from posting for a few days. That's just rude. Seriously, I freaked out, broke my friends fork into a million pieces and beat the crap out of my punching bag. But oh well, I'm back and so it Quiet Like the Snow! YAY! So, yes, I will be reposting all of the chapters. And, now, I present to you... the Reapings!**

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**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

I kick my father's feet out from under him and he falls to the ground, my sword at his throat. I grin but his expression is blank. "Well done," he says. I lower my sword and am about to take a step back when he grabs my ankle and yanks my foot. I hit the ground hard, my vision temporarily blurs and my mind goes fuzzy. When I regain my bearings he has my arms pinned to the ground and my own sword at my neck. "You have not won," he hisses. "Until your enemy is dead."

He stands up and, pulling me by the wrist, drags me through our back door into the kitchen. My mother stands at the sink doing the dishes. She waves at us over her shoulder as we pass, not even looking. He leads me down the narrow hallway until he reach a small door on the left wall.

"No…" I breathe, but he doesn't hear me. He never does. He throws the door open and it bangs against the wall, probably leaving a dent there. He shoves me inside the small closet unceremoniously.

"Now stay in there," He growls. "And think about what you did." The door closes behind me and I'm left in the dark. _The dark._ I begin to shake and press myself up against the coats and jackets. I haven't been in here for years.

This is how my life has always been. I live here in the Victor's Village because of my dad. He won the Hunger Games a while ago and he is determined to make me a Victor as well. He won't accept anything less then perfect. If I make a mistake he locks me in this closet. He says it's to teach me a lesson but I think he just finds it funny to see how scared I am whenever he lets me out.

My Mom doesn't care what he does. Quit frankly the only thing she cares about is that my dad makes enough money so that she can still afford to go into the marketplace and buy as much jewelry as she wants. She's always covered in it. I really think she loves her diamonds more then her daughter.

Anger begins to rise from my fear of the darkness that surrounds me. I don't want it to be anywhere near the dark and my father is forcing me to be immersed in its cold grip. No, today was supposed to be _my_ day. Today is the day I'm volunteering and I'm not going to let anything ruin that. I press myself up against the wall and brace myself up against it. I kick my leg out as hard as I can and the door bursts open. I hear my father shouting from the kitchen and hear his footsteps rapidly approaching. I make a mad dash out of the closet and to my left. I turn right and race up the stairs, to the right and down another hallway until I reach a door at the end of it. I burst through it and lock the door to my bedroom behind me.

I can hear my father banging on the other side and I let out a loud sigh. I lean up against the door and slide down it, until I'm sitting on the ground. I sit there for a little while, trying to regain my composure. Father's pounding on the door, now. I need to do something other then just sit here. I glance around and decide to go with the plans I already had for the day. I'm going to the Reaping and I'm going to volunteer. I go to my closet and pull out a cream colored dress. It's beautiful and shimmers in the light. I pull off my training clothes and slip it on. Dad is still at the door, screaming bloody murder at it like he actually thinks I'm going to open it.

Actually that isn't a bad idea…

I sneak over to the door and place my hand gently on the door handle. _One… two… three!_ I Throw the door open and it hits him. He stumbles backwards and leans against the wall, his nose bleeding and with a very confused expression on his face. Darting back into my room, I grab a pair of black heels and a black hair tie and rush past him before his tiny brain starts working again.

"Sweetheart!" My mother gasps as I push her out of the way when I reach the bottom of the stairs. My father's following me now, but it doesn't matter. I'm already out the door and in a full out sprint. I tear down the street, dodging expensively dressed and perplexed looking District One citizens. I'm fast, and he's just fat. He wouldn't catch me.

I duck into a small flower shop and ask to use their bathroom. A woman shows me to it and once inside I use the mirror to put my wavy golden-brown hair up into a slightly-messy bun. I'm beautiful with silky skin, a slender but well toned figure, and piercing emerald green eyes. My face seems bare, though, and I don't have any makeup. It'll have to do. I slid my black heels on and, making sure my Dad is no where in sight, walk back out into the streets. I go with the flow of people, all heading to the same place: the Reaping.

**Raith, Age 17, District 1**

Adonis wouldn't let me train today and it makes my blood boil. I have to be as sharp as I can for the Games and I cannot afford to miss a single day of training. Quartz would have said the same thing. But she can't. She's dead.

I sit on the edge of my bed and hold her picture and pretend to caress her face. She was so beautiful and strong. But more then anything she was different. When she beat me that day in the sparring match in front of the entire district, she didn't walk away with her head held high to leave me to wallow in my humiliation. She picked me up and congratulated me on my skill. She insisted that we train together. Years later, when I proposed she agreed. On one condition. That before we got married we were to both emerge as Victors from the Hunger Games. She was older so I let her go first. She made it to the final six. Then she was killed.

I don't care if she's gone; I'm going to keep my end of the bargain. She faced her own Hunger Games and now it's my turn. I'm not afraid. I'm going to be brave like she was. I'm going to make her proud.

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

"Gleam! Gleam!" Oh no. It's my 'best friend' Shimmer. She is so annoying; I swear I want to slap her in the face. But that would make me look bad, wouldn't it? She's too easy to control to just push her away. All I have to do is pull the strings and she'll do anything I want her to. If I tell her to dance then she dances. If I tell her to cry then she cries. It's pathetic that she is so naïve that she doesn't realize my hatred towards her.

"Hi, Shimmer," I smile, turning around and giving her a hug. God, she's so wretchedly small that I feel like I'm going to break her. I wish I could. "How are you?"

"I'm worried," She admits. Her taste in clothing is horrible. She's in an ugly brown dress with brown sandals. And her hair is brown. And so are her eyes. Her skin is incredibly pale and it all looks hideous. I really want to smack her. "You aren't going to _actually_ volunteer for the Games are you? I mean, you'd get hurt!" You have to be kidding me.

"Shimmer," I say, resting me hand on her shoulder. "If you don't want me to volunteer then I won't. You're my best friend, I value your opinions."

"Okay!" She says brightening up. What an idiot. She looks at someone over my shoulder. "Hi, Marius!" Oh good, it's someone I don't _completely_ despise. "Gleam was just saying that she isn't going to volunteer! How great!"

"Really?" He asks walking up and giving me a peck on the cheek. He's my latest boyfriend. Its' nice to have him around, he'll do anything I say. I once got annoyed that he wouldn't stop talking about our relationship, so I sent him to the store to go find Flickerdoodles, which I told him was a type of cereal. He was gone all day, but he finally came back with Caesar Flickerman's personal brand of rare cereal. He searched all over District One to find it. I seriously just made Flickerdoodles up. It would be sweet if I actually cared about him. But caring about people is weakness.

I was about to reply when the District One escort tells us all to get in our designated areas. I don't even have the chance to say goodbye to Marius, which I don't actually care about doing that much anyway, before Shimmer grabs me by the arm and pulls me over to the area for the seventeen year old girls. I hate it when people touch me. As soon as we get there I pull my arm free from her grasp and stand as far away from her as I can… with her still standing right next to me.

First the video, then the girls. Our escort sinks her hand into the slips of paper and pulls one out. She announces a name but I refuse to let myself even hear it. My hand shoots up into the air instead and I scream, "I VOLUNTEER!"

**Raith, Age 17, District 1**

I glance around me as the video plays. I am friends with no one here. I know none of them. What would be the point? They'd just distract me from my training. Once I become Victor I won't need friends, anyway. I'll have everything I'll ever need in life and friends would just try to feed off my success.

I can see my parents standing in the back with anticipating looks on their faces. I never told them that I'm going to volunteer today but I assume they figured it out. My younger brother, Leo, stands in the section for the fourteen year old boys. He looks so much like me, except he is totally oblivious to the fact that I'm volunteering. In fact, he looks bored.

When it comes time for the girls, a girl in a cream-colored dress practically shrieks that she volunteered. I guess she wanted to be sure that they heard her. She makes her way up to the stage and announces that her name is Gleam Luxton. Luxton… her father was a Victor! Glancing around, I find him in the crowd with a scowl on his face. I can hear the people around me whispering about how mean and cruel he is.

The escort calls out the name of the boy and my hand punches the air. "I volunteer!" I announce, proudly. The escort waves me up to the stage with an unnaturally large smile on her white face.

"What is your name?" She asks. She reminds me of a vampire. I can see my own reflection in her glasses. I'm a bit short for a Career but that doesn't mean I can't fight. Actually, I'm probably one of the best there is. I have platinum blonde hair, deep green eyes and slightly oversized ears. And full lips. Quarts loved my lips. Whenever we were on dates she could sit there and kiss them for hours without stopping.

"Raith Delver," I say. No one looks surprised that I volunteered, except, of course, my brother who doesn't have any brain cells left after all the times he's hit his head on things.

It's happening. I'm finally doing it. I'm finally a tribute in the Hunger Games.

**Oplarran, Age 18, District 2**

As I walk down the road that leads into the more populated area of District Two the children see my face and step away from me. I scare them and I know it. I'm huge with a face covered in scares. One of them, in fact, goes over my left eye, which I'm blind in. My nose is crocked from all the times it's been broken. I'm huge and tower over most of my district at six feet and six inches. My hair is a matt of curls that hang in my face. To the little kids, I look like a hulking monster, the kind of guy you'd expect to be the evil villain in a story.

But I can't change how I look. Fate decided how I look, not me, so it wasn't my fault. Fate decides everything, you know. Whether your parents meet, what your eyes color is, what side of a coin will land up when you flip it, whether you're chosen for the Hunger Games…

And if I'm to be chosen for the Hunger Games, today is the day that I will be reaped. I don't want to be a tribute. My family couldn't take it. I never knew my father. He was a jerk and decided to leave me and my mother when I was a baby. I live with my mom, my stepdad and my half-sister now. Honestly I think she's the one I care about most. Her name is Sabrie and she's only five years old. She couldn't go on if I was chosen as a tribute.

But I'm not the one who will decide.

**Jessamine, Age 18, District 2**

I walk alone to the Reaping in a short, ice blue dress and matching heels. My long, dark brown hair is in a high ponytail and my deep green eyes are brought out by my makeup. I'm fair and thin, I won't lie, but not _too_ thin or _too_ fair. I think I look good.

I rub my brother's ring on my finger. My head aches. Today is always the worst day. Exactly one year ago my older brother, Cameron, was reaped in the Games. He did so well, got so far. He was one of the most feared tributes in the Games, with deadly knife skills and killing five out of twenty-four tributes. He was so close to winning… so close when an arrow went throw his head and his blood stained my TV screen. It's not there anymore but I still see it whenever I turn the TV on.

When we get to the Reaping it's the same as always. The video plays and we all take a nap. When the video shuts off we pretend like we were awake the whole time. Next the District Escort steps up to the glass orb holding the slips of paper. She digs out a single slip of paper and reads off the name.

"Jessamine Mason!"

I think my heart just stopped. At least I know my life just did. I make my way up to the stage and stare coldly at the people of District Two. Why does no one volunteer? Why doesn't someone save me? No one saved Cameron, either.

The boy is chosen and his name is Oplarran Hightom. Weirdest name ever. He races up to the stage and glares down at District Two, daring anyone to make a sound. His eyes are cold and calculating as they dart around in the crowd. No one volunteers. I can't believe that he actually wants to be in these Games.

"I give our tributes Jessamine Mason and Oplarran Hightom!" Lucky us. We are going to the place where nightmares come true.

**Oplarran, Age 18, District 2**

"Oplarry, you can't go to the place on the TV!" Sabrie cries. I'm in the Justice Building. My mother, in her peacekeeper uniform, sits quietly next to me with my stepfather on her left. Sabrie sit on my lap, her small arms wrapped around me protectively. "You can't go!

"I have to Sabrie," I whisper. "_Fate_ chose_ me_. I have no choice."

**Madilynn, Age 13, District 3**

"Truth or dare?" I ask Hana. She, Lina and I are in my room in our Reaping outfits, waiting for the time when we are to leave. I'm in a dark blue dress and my wavy dark brown hair is tied up with a blue ribbon.

"Dare!" Hana says with a mischievous grin.

"I dare you…" I pause to think, dramatically rubbing me chin. "To get everything in the fridge and eat it all in one bowl!" Hana's mouth drops open and Lina's eyes widened in shock. We all get to our feet and head into the kitchen. Grabbing a bowl out of the cabinet, I poor everything inside for her from mustard to slices of apples. When it's finally done it looks a lot like mud or at least my cooking.

"I'm not eating that," Hana says glancing at me.

"Come on," I grin. "You have to. Just one bite!" Hana slowly dips her spoon into the muck and brings it to her lips. I ball my fists in excitement and Lina covers her eyes but then thinks better of it and arranges her fingers so that she can see through them. Hana plops the concoction in her mouth and swallows it like it pains her. She looks like she's about to throw up and I die laughing.

Something hard hits me in the head and I look around confused. It was a shoe. Looking in the doorway my father stands there with a pissed-off expression on his face and a beer bottle in his hand.

"It's time to go," He slurs. I hate that man. I hate him with every fiber of my being. He killed my sister, Miranda. He grabbed her by the neck and threw her across the room. She died when she hit the wall. He made my mother leave two years ago. He is the reason my life is a living hell.

None of us move for a moment but I finally lead the way and we push past time. He whacks me upside the head and I pretend to fall over dead, with my tongue hanging out of my mouth. Hana and Lina laugh but Daddy Dearest steps on my arm. I yelp out in pain and shove him off. Rising to my feet I stick my tongue out at him before trotting out of the house with Hana and Lina on my heels.

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

Knock three times on the back door of the pharmacy. Say the password. Slid the money under the door. Receive your merchandise and get the hell out of there. Simple and easy. Some may say to easy. I don't care though. I head back to my single-room dirt-floored shack and slam the door closed behind me. I place the paper bag on the table and rummage through its contents until I find what I'm looking for. A grin spreads across my face as I pull out a needle. I stick it straight into my arm and sigh as my body shakes with pleasure. Hey, when did my ceiling turn purple?

**Madilynn, Age 13, District 3**

We get to the Reaping and file into our sections. Luckily all three of us are in the same area so we can offer moral support for each other. Thaddeus, who reminds me of a younger version of my father in the way that he has a strong chemical dependence, is late and by the looks of it he's high again. It doesn't surprise me one bit. I don't like Thaddeus. He gets on my nerves, not being strong even to even deal with life. At least I persevere. He doesn't even try.

"Madilynn Maria Jackson!"

That wasn't my name, was it? It was. I was just reaped. No. NO! I can't go to the Hunger Games! Lina sees the panic on my face and I can tell she's about to volunteer. I slap my hand across her face and stare into her eyes. Better me then her. The peacekeepers come and rip me from my best friends and push me up onto the stage.

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

"Thaddeus Shade!" The talking penguin just said my name. I wonder why. I wave at him with a big smile on my face. He looks so funny! Whoa, the giant puppies are coming! Aw, there's so cute! Hey, there's picking me up! AH! I flick them off when they throw me on to candy stage. Stupid puppies.

That's when I see her. She's gorgeous! The girl named Madilynn has brown hair that cascades past her shoulders and stops halfway down her beautiful back that is left bare by her silky blue dress that clings to her slender figure. Blue angel wings stick out her back where her shoulder blades end. I shake her hand and it feels smooth like heaven. I just shook hands with an angel.

**Tanner, Age 17, District 4**

I weave my way through the crowd of people, snatching wallets here and there and occasionally a piece of jewelry or two. The Reaping day is always the best day for me. It's when the big money comes out. Everyone has to attend and people want to look their best today so they carry money around to make their friends think they have more then they do and they wear their most expensive jewelry. The idiots.

No one ever suspects me and they never will, the tall, fit, tan and handsome boy with messy black hair and kind blue eyes. People in this District judge by appearances, it's always been like that and it always will be. So in their eyes I'll always be a god, no matter what I do.

I'm not a bad person, even though I do bad things. I don't do it because I'm a kleptomaniac like I know some people do; I do it because I have to. If I don't then my little brother, Joey, my little sister, Liena, and I will all starve. I cannot let that happen. I meet up with Liena and Joey on the side of the road. I pull my score out of my pocket and hand them to Liena who places them in an empty purse. Normally during the Reaping she would slip away and go trade while Joey and I pray that our names don't get picked. But not this year. This year she turns twelve and she'll be in the lottery just as we are.

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

I arrive at the Reaping early and watch as the District Four citizens file in. The people of the district are the most attractive of all the districts, yes, but I'm the most attractive of District Four. Thinking of this, I check myself in my hand mirror. My dark chocolate brown hair is parted to the right and frames my face perfectly, bringing out my misty grey eyes that are flecked with white. I'm in a golden dress with a strip of flowers on my right side that looks like they are falling to the ground. It brings out my curves and shows off my slender body. I have dainty features and delicates hands. I'm beautiful.

How many times am I in the bowl this year? Oh, yes, twelve. I signed up for tesserae once every year. I want to be in the Games. I want it badly. My parents have forbidden me from volunteering but if I get reaped then that's a different story.

"Vencitiy Corbinette!"

All my dreams just came true.

**Tanner, Age 17, District 4**

A girl named Vencitiy gets reaped and she jumps up and down in excitement. It makes me sick. She practically flies up to the stage and snatches the slip of paper out of the District Escort's hands. She kisses it and waves it triumphantly in the air. No one volunteers for her, of course, because if they did they probably wouldn't make it to the Games.

"Tanner Trav!"

Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap. I make my way up to the stage as Liena bursts into tears. I pass Joey, whose mouth hangs open in shock. I step up onto the stage and shake hands with that witch, Vencitiy. She is smiling and batting her eyes like a whore. I suppose she is one but I hope she makes it out anyway. I hope _I_ make it out.

**Elias, Age 18, District 5**

Today is going to be a horrible day. Every day is a horrible day, but the Reaping is always the worst. Everyone is all sad and people are really freaking annoying when they're sad because then they cry and they have snot dripping out of their nose and it's just gross.

And when I get Reaped I know I was right. Today is a horrible day.

**Ramona, Age 16, District 5**

Eli gets reaped. I like to think we were at least acquaintances. See how I use past tense? Eli is dead. There is no way that he can survive the Hunger Games with his lanky body, dark hair and sea green eyes. But I only have a second to mourn his passing before the unspeakable happens.

"Ramona Pensley!"

I hear a few _awwww_'s from the older people as I make my way to the stage. I'm small for my age and look younger then I am. I know how sweet and innocent I look. I'm not. I get up on stage and spurt out curse words. That put them in their place. Actually they look angry. Good. I shake hands with Eli who looked absolutely pissed and we are herded into the Justice Building.

**Elias, Age 18, District 5**

"Oh my baby!" Mom yelps, rushing over to me and hugging me so tightly I worry that my bones will crack. It would be just my luck. My mother pulls back and looks me straight in the eyes. "Sweet, you can't worry. You are going to get out of this. And when you do you will have a wonderful life. Don't worry, Eli. You can't worry…" She trails off and bursts into tears.

"Good luck, kid," My father says, resting his hand on my shoulder and giving me a meaningful stare that tells me he means it. He ruffles my hair before leading my mother out of the room. My sister remains, sitting silently next to me, her face expressionless but her fists clenches so tightly that her knuckles have turned white.

"Vailea?" I ask tentatively. She slowly turns her head to look at me. Tears are pooled up in her eyes and her body is shaking. "Vailea, if you want to cry that I won't hold it against you, I promise."

"I know," She nods. "I just don't want my mascara to run." Of course. She gives me one final hug before going. My best friend, Calder comes in next and he offers up words of advice but I don't really hear him. Like everything else, my life has just been taken away from me.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I stare blankly at my reflection in the mirror. I'm so small and tiny with raven hair and olive skin. I'm in a pair of black pants and a loose fitting grey shirt. The chances of me being Reaped are a thousand to seven, so the chance that I will be chosen is almost impossible, therefore it would be pointless to get dressed up. There is no expression in my face, but the most startling part of my appearance is my eyes. They are large and bright blue, such a light shade of it that they almost appear white.

I walk slightly distanced from my father and my brother to the Reaping. People in their best clothes stand before the Justice Building where our District Escort, dressed in a bright pink dress that makes my eyes hurt, stands smiling and waving to the citizen of District Six.

As she pulls out the slip of paper I'm struck with a brilliant idea. All my life I have never felt anything. I have no emotions, no love and no hate. I'm like a robot, inhuman and calculating. I want to feel something more then anything else. That's why I volunteer.

And for a moment I feel something. Something twinges deep inside me and my heart skips a beat. Anxiety. But as soon at it is here it is gone. I'm just a shell as I make my way up to the stage and lazily watch the shocked faces of my District change and contort. Some of them even smile. They all call me Poker Face. They're happy to see the district robot go. They don't want me around. No one does. Not even my own family. My father is embarrassed by me and my brother hates my guts.

I've tried to smile before. I stood in front of a mirror and tried to force my face to take on the shape that I should have easily been able to conform to. I couldn't do it. I physically could not smile. I think there may be something wrong with the muscles in my face that is keeping me from smiling… or making any other expression.

But that doesn't matter. The Hunger Games will fix me. I'd rather feel pain then nothing at all and that is all the Hunger Games brings. Pain. I want it. I need it. If I don't feel something I will probably just drop dead.

**Eclipse, Age 17, District 6**

The Peregrine girl volunteers. Hm… maybe she'll finally feel something? I can only hope so for her sake. I couldn't imagine living without emotions, it would be almost impossible. I couldn't imagine going into the Hunger Games, either. It's the greatest injustice I have ever heard of in my life.

"Eclipse Moon!"

Well, I guess I'll be able to imagine it now. I decide to put on a good show, at least. I smile charmingly for the audience as I make my way up to the stage. I've been told a thousand times how beautiful my smile is. I'm not full of myself; I'm just saying that's what people have told me. I can see my father shaking his head in the audience with his arms crossed while my mother tries desperately to break free from the grip of the peacekeepers to reach me. My best friend, Alien Huang, is in total and utter shock and can't do anything other then blink and breath.

When I see my parents in the Justice Building they are the same. My mother tries to convince me to run away and to escape no matter what the cost, but I tell her that would be illegal and, more importantly, impossible. My father just kind of stands there. Finally he tells me to make him proud and he and my mother leave.

I hope that I make them proud.

**Ivy, Age 17, District 7**

I sit quietly on the bench in our garden a book cradled in my arms. It's ages old but Alice in Wonderland has always been my favorite since I read it for the first time when I was a little girl. Over the years I've read it twelve times. This time will be the thirteenth.

I'm in simple blue dress with matching flats. My mother's silver necklace hangs around my neck, a sky blue jewel hanging from it. My wavy brown hair is up in a side ponytail, as it usually is and my blue eyes dart over the words printed out over the pages of the book.

Suddenly, my eyes are covered by something and I grab at the hands, clawing at them and trying to get them to release me. They do and I leapt to my feet and twirl around, ready to face my attacker. I sigh a breath of relief when I see it's just my boyfriend, Heath.

"Gosh, Ivy," He chuckles, rubbing his hand. He looks up at me with his entrapping brown eyes. "Anxious much?"

"A little," I mutter, sliding my bookmark into Alice in Wonderland to keep my spot. I walk back over to the bench and sit down, letting the book rest on my lap. Heat sits down next to me and puts his arm around me. I lean into him, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm just worried about the Reaping, that's all."

Heath and I have been friends since we were little. When we were younger we'd go with my dad to the lumber yard and have duels with our wooden swords. We'd play tag amongst the trees and pretend to be defending the district from dragons and evil queens. But that was before my father died. It seems like ages ago now. I was so vulnerable after his death and the only person who stood by me the entire time no matter what was Heath. We only started dating a few months ago but I've never felt this way about anyone.

"IVY!" Amber wails, throwing open the back door to the house and running to me clutching her arm. There's a three inch cut on it and it's bleeding badly. Tears race down her face and her twin sister, Anna, stands at her side worriedly, clutching her own arm as if it hurts her as well.

"What happen?" I ask, kneeling down so that I'm eye level with her.

"We were playing with the wooden swords," She sobs. "And it cut me!"

"How'd that happen?" Heath asked. "They never cut us."

"I don't know…" I admit. I offer Amber an encouraging smile and carry her into the house. "How about we get that fixed up?" I sit her on the kitchen counter. Going to the sink I run cool water over the washcloth and clean the wound. I dry it with another towel and generously apply a coat of medicine. I dress the wound with a bandage and instruct her to be more careful next time.

You see, my mother—who is out running errands—and I earn money for our family by being healers. Two of the best healers in District Seven actually. Whenever someone is hurt they are brought to us. It not only puts food on the table but it gives me a sense of achievement, a feeling that I'm actually making this distorted world a better place.

Heath comes back in holding one of the wooden swords. The edge is sharper then it should be and there is blood on it. I walk over and slowly examine it. Someone made the sides sharp. I look at Anna and Amber suspiciously. "Who sharpened the swords?" The both instantly point at each other and I face palm.

"You two shouldn't have done that," Heath says calmly. "They are dull for a reason, and that reason is so that you don't hurt each other. You two got lucky, the injury could have been much worse." They lower their heads and I feel bad for my little sisters. They're only seven after all.

"It's okay," I say, taking the swords by the hilt. "These are getting old anyway. They'll make good firewood."

I toss them into the fire and watch as my childhood memories burn to ash. Heath stands at my side and holds my hand the whole time. A tear falls down my face and he brushes it away. "Come on," He whispers. "We have to go."

We make our way through District Seven to the Justice Building and watch the boring video. I hate this video. They try so hard to feed us lies and I know that some people believe them. But not me. I'm not so easily bought. I know this country is disturbed and doomed. It will only be a matter of time before it crumbles in front of our eyes, like the Roman Empire or Ancient Egypt.

The video ends and I watch as our District Escort steps up to the glass orb. She pulls out a slip of paper and reads it to the audience. Turns out that that one little slip of paper in a thousand had my name on it.

I make my way up to the stage in a trance. I move without thinking, my body no longer under my control. I shake hands with the escort and look blankly at the crowd. It's weird to live in a world where your entire life can be ruined by a slip of paper.

Our escort steps up to the glass orb and pulls out another name, the name of the male tribute. Just as she says this, gallons of rotten milk rains on her head and coats her from head to foot in the chucky substance. I look up to see the devilish smile of a young boy disappear in the rafters above the stage.

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

"Come on guys," I shout to my friends. "Push with your legs!" Even with four of us we struggle to lift the vat of rotten milk. I'm not entirely sure how he got it but apparently Orlando knows a guy. Just as the escort announces the name the milk rains on her head. I laugh so hard I almost pee myself. Everyone looks up but I think the only one who sees me is the female tribute… um… what was her name again? Oh yeah, Ivy.

I duck back over the railing just in time to see the peacekeepers grabbing Orlando, Terrill and Nate who were all on the other side of the vat. My buds were just busted. I'm the leader of our group. I know a good captain goes down with the ship. Good thing I'm not a good captain. I immediately roll the barrel straight at the peacekeepers. It knocks them over and confuses them long enough for me to duck past them without getting apprehended. I race down the stairs and onto the stage. They are right on my tail. I race past Ivy and their hands are inches away from my shoulder when I reach the microphone.

I know what will happen if they catch me again. I've ruffled their feathers to many times, and to them this is crossing a line. What on earth was I thinking? If they catch me now it's off to Avox Town, population me. It's not a pretty place this time of year. I guess that's why I do it.

"I volunteer!" I yell into the microphone, practically making everyone deaf. The peacekeepers stop in their tracks. They can't touch me now. I'm golden. Or dead. Probably both.

Aunt Risa and Uncle Sigmund come to say goodbye to me. Uncle Sig is in his wheelchair and Auntie (as I like to call her 'cause she hates it) is fuming. Not at the peacekeepers or the Capitol, but, as usual, at me for being such an 'idiotic hooligan'. Terrill, Orlando and Nate don't come in and I can only assume the worst. When I am finally alone I pray for them. God knows they'll need all the help they can get.

**Sterling, Age 17, District 8**

I tuck in my black tie and examine my appearance in the mirror. I'm tall and thin with pale skin and sparkling green eyes. In my tuxedo I look ravishing. I smooth back my light brown hair and check my perfect teeth for any broccoli, which I had for breakfast. There's nothing there, so I grab my lint roller and run it all over myself, double checking myself to make sure there is no hair left on me.

The process of getting ready takes about an hour and by the time Mother and I am walking out the door it's almost noon. Mother holds a pink parasol over her head to protect her delicate skin from the sun but I do not, since this would make me look very girly. Instead, I applied several coats of SPF 100 before we left the house.

Mother and I walk down the street that houses the richest in District Eight. It's a small street. When we finally reach the end of it I scowl as I step onto the dirt roads of District Eight. I hate stepping on the bare ground. We pass many commoners on the way and they glare at us resentfully. I smile and wave at them, as does Mother. This is the rule for us. No matter how much you hate someone if you see them you must smile and wave.

My name shall be in the Reaping ball six times today so there is no point in hoping and praying and whatnot. As usual, two scummy tributes will be picked and when no one volunteers, much to their dismay, they will be sent off to face their doom. I just shrug it off every year. After all, it's just two less pieces of dirt on my shoes.

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

"There was once a princess named Velvet," My little sister, Satin, says as she organizes the shelves in our fabric shop. I stand at the counter counting the money in the cash register. Of course, my sister made the name of the princess be Velvet. "With hair as black as night and skin as white as snow."

"Raven," I mutter, untucking my hair from behind my ear so that it'll hang in my dark brown eyes.

"What was that?" Satin asks, looking up from her work.

"Raven," I reply. "My hair isn't black, it's raven."

"Oh," Satin says. She changes her words. "There was once a princess named Velvet with hair as raven as black and skin as white as snow." I sigh. Satin is only ten but she should probably be smarter then that by now.

Today is a bad day for me. I mean, come on, it always is. A few years ago my best friend was sent into the arena. She didn't come back. I cut almost all of my hair off and died it raven, like hers was. Now it barely reaches my shoulders and its bangs cover my right eye. I wear my friends silver locket around my neck. She wore it as her token in her Games. When she was killed by the winning tribute he ripped it from around her neck. When he came on tour he saw me with her family and gave it to me.

But that was back from when we were in District Ten. We hopped the border, you could say, and snuck into District Eight. Back in Ten I used to hunt illegally in the surrounding forests. That's the only thing I was ever good at, hunting. But now that my parents own a fabric store and I don't need to hunt for survival it is forbidden.

"Hey," Silk, my older brother says, coming in with my younger sister, Cashmere, at his side. He's carrying two huge boxes while Cashmere wheels in a cart piled high with smaller boxes of silk and cotton fabrics. "Chin up, kid," He forces my chin up with his hand and I shove him away. He sighs as I look out the window, lost in my memories.

**Sterling, Age 17, District 8**

We watch that stupid video at the Reaping as we do every year. The boy next to me almost slaps me for complaining so much but I can't help it. This video is stupid and boring and I don't want to watch it. I mean, think of all the other more important things I could be doing with my time, like brushing up on my fencing skills or having tea with my book club.

As the video plays on I take the time to go over myself one more time with the lint roller and kick the dirt off of my dress shoes. Dirt disgusts me. I look up as the district escort chooses the female tribute.

"Velvet Ross!"

Velvet is honestly one of the prettiest poor girls I've ever seen. Or at least that's what I think as she makes her way through the crowd in a tight, green, woodsy tank top and a pair of black jeans. However, when she reaches the stage I realize she's barefoot and it turns me off. What kind of a savage could prance around in the _dirt_ without _shoes_? Revolting.

"Sterling Sniveley!" I gap up at the District Escort. That can't be right. Surely there is another Sterling Sniveley who she is speaking of. I glance around waiting for this other Sterling to emerge from the crowd but find that all eyes are trained on me. I can't move even though I want to. Finally the peacekeepers come and carry me up to the stage. They throw me onto it and I almost fall over.

There has to be a mistake. Someone must have accidentally entered my name sixty times instead of six and that renders this invalid. I demand a recount! I _demand_ it! But as I shake hands with Velvet I know that I'm wrong. There is nothing wrong with the Reaping. I am a tribute in the Hunger Games and there is no escaping that.

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

I slid through the undergrowth on silent feet and allow my mind to go blank. I'm in hunter mode. I hear movement in the forest around me and my eyes snap open. I slowly turn my head so that I'm facing the source of the noise: a rabbit. Taking careful aim I let the arrow fly. It goes straight through the rabbit's eye. A perfect shot.

I make my way over to the dead rabbit's body and pick it up by its back leg. My black hair is up in a high ponytail and my milk chocolate skin is scared from all of my years hunting and I have a few blackheads scattered across my face. I poke it with my finger to make sure it's completely gone before shoving it roughly in my hunting bag. I make my way back to District Nine and climb with ease over the fence. Of course it isn't electrified, it never is. I make my way into my house where my family is bustling around getting ready for the Reaping. I pull my catch out of my hunting back and toss it into the sink.

Stanley, my four year old little brother, tugs on my pants with his little fists. He's in a miniature tuxedo and it's the cutest thing I've ever seen. I hoist him up onto the nearest bed and tickle his bare feet.

"Hey monkey feet," I say as he laughs uncontrollably. "How you doin' today?"

"I'm good," He smiles when I stop.

"You're good?" I ask. He nods. "Hey, me too. I caught us a rabbit." He claps. "I know, it's very exciting."

"Where are we going today?" He asks. "Why are we all dressed up?"

"Well…" I hesitate. "We are going to the Reaping."

"What's that?" He asks.

"It's when they chose one boy and one girl from each of the twelve districts to go and compete in the Hunger Games," I explain. "The show that we have to watch on TV every year, where the teenagers fight each other."

"Oh…" He trails off and gets a sad look in his eyes. I ruffle his hair and go get dressed myself. I try to get Mom to just let me wear my hunting clothes but she tells me to go put on my yellow sundress. I _hate _this dress. Yellow is such an obnoxious color, it practically screams 'look at me, I'm hideous!' If I could slap the color yellow then I would.

We finally head to the Reaping in our clothes. Stanley walks by my side, holding my hand. When we reach the District square, I pass him off to Mom and take my place amongst the other thirteen year old girls.

"Roshan Davis!"

As I make my way up to the stage I can hear Stanley crying. Why did I explain what the Reaping is to him this morning? What was I thinking? Now he's going to be sad and scared for me.

"Hunter Putnar!" I know Hunter from school. He's in a pair of skinny jeans and an athletic shirt. Also, he's tall and thin with blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The poor guy's parents left him to take care of his little sister, Michelle, on his own.

I once saw him when I was in the woods. He hunts, too, and I once saw him the forest. I was stalking a deer and was hiding behind a boulder when all of a sudden a wolf leapt out and killed the deer with a single bite. Hunter ran up and cut the deer in half with his knife. He took one half and the wolf took the other. That was a weird day.

The guy has anger issues and as he walks up to the stage he looks like he's about to freaking murder somebody. I can see him counting under his breath as he shakes my hand. Who counts after they get Reaped? Now that's just odd.

**Sky, Age 15, District 10**

I sit in front of my shabby dresser, checking myself once more before I head out to the Reaping. I'm in a plain, off the shoulder white dress and a pair of white sandals. My long blonde hair reaches my waist and my pale skin slightly shines in the dim lamplight. My amber eyes glow and reflect the world around me.

Walking out of my room, I head into Camilla's room. I find her sitting in front of her own dresser, silent tears racing down her face and a photograph of our family in her hands. I walk up behind her and place my hands on her shoulders.

"I know," I whisper. "I miss them, too."

When I was eight Camilla and I were playing outside. It seemed like a normal day, slightly overcast with the sun peeking out at us from behind the clouds. We were playing hide and seek, me counting her hiding. It was almost at ten when I smelled the smoke wafting towards us from the house. I turned around to find my house ablaze with the rest of my family inside. Camilla and I ran towards the flames but a man grabbed us from behind and pulled us away. I don't like to think about the details of what happened after that, but in the end I was molested and Camilla was severely injured. We escaped but our lives had been forever ruined.

**Ryden, Age 18, District 10**

I cannot express how glad I am that I don't have to work today. The Reaping, although a curse to others, is a blessing to me. On days of the Reaping I don't have to go to the slaughterhouse. I hate working there, the conditions are cruel and unforgiving and the way they treat the animals is emotionally scarring. I never want to go back there but I know that if I want my family to be fed then I have to.

"Ryden," My little sister, Molly, says. She's fifteen and I'm so proud of her. She looks so much like me, being tall with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes just like I am. I'm in black trousers and a white button up shirt while Molly is in a blue sundress that matches the color of her eyes. "We have to leave. The Reaping is going to start soon."

"I'm coming," I say, walking past her and ruffling her hair in the process.

We walk to the Reaping in silence, aware that our parents would already be there. Whenever the Reaping comes around everyone is feeling a little extra generous, so my parents go to the town square early and ask for money from those a little more fortunate then us. It sounds sad and a little pathetic, I know, but we do what we have to do to survive.

"Good luck," I say to Molly, kissing her on the forehead before sliding in amongst my age group. I say hello to everyone and exchange words as we wait for the ceremony to start. I'm pretty popular for a poor kid; I know everyone and everyone knows me. I'm even acquaintances with the bitter Sky Kressent, the girl who'll bite your head off if you even say her name. Everyone knows what happened to her and her sister. I feel so bad for her and so does everyone else. And she hates us for it. She doesn't want our pity and that much is obvious, that's why I don't let her know I have any for her. Okay, so she may still _dislike_ me but she _hates_ everyone else.

When the Reaping ends and they pull her name out of the bowl I can't believe my own ears. Sky just got reaped. The girl who has had more bad things happen to her in her life now only has a one out of twenty four chance of surviving. That's about when they pull my name out of the bowl. Looks like we're both going to need some good luck from now on.

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

"Abby!" My friend, Alexi, calls to me as I head out of my house. She bounds up and gives me a huge bear hug almost tackling me to the ground.

"Alexi!" I squeak. She releases me.

"Guess what today is!" She prompts.

"The Reaping," I guess. She shakes her head eagerly. "Your birthday?" She nods and bounces up and down. I pull a small box out from behind my back and hand it to her. She opens it and finds a silver chain with a gorgeous blue gem on it. "Happy birthday."

"Oh, Abby," She squeals. "I love it!" She gives me another huge hug and we head off down the road. "Did you hear what happened to Gemma?"

"No," I admit. "What?"

"Todd hit her!"

"What?" I gasp. "Why would he do that, he's her boyfriend?" Right then Gemma walks up with a small smile. Alexi was right; there is a huge bruise on her shoulder. It's such a shame, too. She's in a short-sleeved dress, leaving the wound completely bare and open for the world to see. Me, I'm in a white long-sleeved dress and white one inch high heels. My golden hair cascades down my back and my blue eyes sparkle in the sun light.

"Hi, Abby," Gemma says quietly, walking beside me.

"Hey, Gemma," I reply. "What's up?"

"Not much," She says simply, gazing off in a random direction. She doesn't look very good today. I don't think she slept at all. She turns to Alexi. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," Alexi murmurs. We walk to the Reaping in an awkward silence.

**Dillon, Age 14, District 11**

I swing my age once more and watch as the tree falls to the ground and hits it with a loud thump. Normally I would chop off small parts of it and take them back one by one but I don't have time for that today, I need to get to the Reaping.

On my way back into the district I stop to wash my face off in a stream. I study my reflection in it. I'm tall and muscular with curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. My hands are tough and callused, and my nails are grimy and torn from all the times I bite them without noticing.

Heading into the district, I walk down the dirt road towards the Justice Building. I can see Abrielle and her friends a little ways ahead of me. Abrielle goes to my school; she's one of the popular girls. She's nice, though, and is a real people person. If I had to describe her I'd simply say she's a social butterfly.

"Hey, Dillon," Sandy says, padding up beside me. She's one of my best friends but she definitely isn't my girlfriend. I'm pretty incapable of thinking of her that way. We walk to the Reaping together and split up only when we arrive. I file in with the other fourteen year old boys and wait as the District Escort pulls the name of the female tribute out of the glass orb.

"Abrielle Maddox!" I watch as Abrielle makes her way up to the stage. Her friends break down into tears. A few tears of her own fall from her eyes. "Dillon Cartel!" That was my name. That was my name! I step up onto the stage and shake hands with Abrielle. Someone wake us from this nightmare.

**Dream, Age 16, District 12**

When was the last time you got lost in the forest for an entire week? It's harder to survive then you'd think. And then you get attacked by a fox that leaves a scar on your forehead. It isn't really fun. That's what happened to me when I was younger and it's why I have the scar on my face. I don't mind it, though; I think it just makes me unique.

"Hey, Dream," my best friend, Ady says, poking her head into my room. Interesting story: my best friend is marrying my brother in a few months. That is going to be a really weird day for me. I close the book I was reading about edible plants and look up at her with a slight smile. I'm rather small for my age with dark brown almond-shaped eyes and long, wavy ebony hair. I'm in a pale pink off the shoulder dress that flows to my knees. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," I nod. "Let's go." I stand up and we walk quietly out of the house side by side.

**Taylor, Age 14, District 12**

I stand at the Reaping rubbing my father's lucky ring. Maybe it will give me some good luck here. I'm Hispanic on my mother's side so I have a slightly dark complexion along with dark brown hair and light brown eyes. I whisper back and forth with my best friend Erin as the video plays.

They call the name of a girl named Dream and I can't help but notice how pretty she is. Then they call my name. I swallow nervously and stroll up to the stage. I shake hands with Dream and I can feel her trembling. I mindless wonder if I'm trembling as we're herded into the Justice Building. I cast a glance over my shoulder and look at the people of District Twelve for what might be the last time.


	2. The Train Rides

**Yes, I am determined to get all of this back up. It shouldn't have been taken down in the first place! *growls* **

**Anywho, here are the train rides!**

**Oh, I almost forgot. All of you awesome people should go prove you're awesome by going on my friends SYOT and submitting a tribute! The story is called Rain and it is by Whispers to the Moon. Seriously, that would be awesome of you! It's on my favorites list so if you want you can just go to my profile and click the link to get there! Seriously, do it!**

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**Raith, Age 17, District 1**

I look at the necklace wrapped around my hand. A piece of gold-streamed quartz is the only jewel on the silver chain. It belonged to Quartz before she died. She was so beautiful… I'm going to keep my promise to her.

Gleam walks into the train car that I'm in and sits down next to me on the couch, her legs under her and her face only inches from mine. "Can I help you?" I growl.

"Yes, actually," She smiles. Her breath is minty. I hate minty. She pulls out a clipboard from behind her back and holds it in front of my face. "Since we are both Careers I'd like you to sign this paper saying that you swear your eternal loyalty to me in this life and all that may follow."

"Heck no"

"Excuse me?" She snaps leaning back and crossing her arms. Good, some personal space.

"I'm not going to sign your damn contract," I reply coldly. She turns up her nose at me and stalks out of the cart. Wow, if I get this I wonder what the other tributes have to deal with.

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

"What on earth are you doing?" I ask Sterling, pretty pissed off just by his presence.

"I'm making sure there is no hair on me," He replies, running himself over for the fifth time with a lint roller. We've only been on this train for two hours. I couldn't possibly imagine getting stuck with a worse district partner. If it wasn't against the rules I swear I would slap him.

"Where did you get that lint roller?" I demand, standing up from my seat and padding over to him.

"It's my token," He replied. I blink.

"You're kidding me,"

"No,"

"You brought a lint roller," I ask slowly to clarify. "As your token?"

"Yes," He says simply. What an idiot. "What did you bring as your token?"

"That's none of your business," I snap, stalking off to my room. I slump down on my bed and pull my token out from under my shirt. It's a small, silver locket on a slightly rusted chain. It's my best friend's locket. She was the daughter of a baker and her name was Damper. She was so beautiful with raven hair and misty grey eyes. I wonder… when I die, will my family miss me as much as I miss Damper now?

**Taylor, Age 14, District 12**

Dream paces back in forth in the car. I sit at a table eating a doughnut watching her lazily. Tears fall down her face and her eyes are red and puffy. She's been doing this since we got on the train. "You need to chill," I finally tell her when I finish my doughnut.

"How can you say that?" She asks turning to me. "We're in the Hunger Games! We're going to die."

"No," I say, taking another doughnut and biting off half of it. "One of us could live."

"And what are the chances of that?" She asks angrily.

"One in twenty four," I reply. She sighs and sits down across from me at the table. "Look, kid-"

"I'm older then you."

"Whatever," I say brushing it off. "There is nothing you can do right now that is going to help you survive in the arena. Crying certainly isn't doing you any good. If you keep worrying like that you are going to drive yourself mad before you can even get in there. You need to chill."

"_Chill…_" She repeats dreamily. Standing up she pads of into a different car leaving me alone with the table covered in food. I pile a plate high with goodies and walk over to one of the couches in the corner. I sit down, carefully balancing my snack, and flip on the TV. They are showing the reruns of today's Reaping.

I watch as the districts drift by, one after another. There's a drug addict in three this year and I applaud when he flicks off the peacekeepers. The chick named Vencitiy from District Four squeals with happiness when she gets reaped and practically dares anyone to take her place. It makes me sick. One of the District Five tributes, Ramona, curses out the audience. Good for her, but she's got a little too much spunk for my taste. A girl from Six volunteers, which I cannot believe. No one from Six_ever_ volunteers. The boy from Seven pours a vat of rotten milk all over his Escort before volunteering. Now that's funny. Velvet from Eight goes up without any shoes on while the boy actually had to be carried up to the stage. It should be an interesting year.

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

I see an excellent opportunity so obviously I have to take it. Ivy sits in a chair watching over the Reaping. I grab a piece of ice from the huge cooler holding water bottles and sodas and silently sneak up behind her with a mischievous grin on my face. In a single motion I slip the ice cube down into her shirt. She leaps into the air yelping and digging around in her shirt. I almost die laughing. It's a classic prank but it never disappoints. When her hand finally returns with the ice cube she chucks it at my head. It barely skims over the top of it and for a moment she looks angry but then joins in on the laughter.

When we finally stop laughing I head over to the snack table and stuff odd-looking cupcakes into my mouth. Ivy stares at me like I'm a rabid beast. "I have a high metabolism," I explain. She nods but still looks wary. "What's that?"

A pearl necklace is around her neck and she reaches up with a delicate hand to touch it. "My mother gave it to me before I left," She replies quietly. I can see the tears in her eyes and feel a pang of guilt for asking her about it.

"See this?" I ask, holding out my arm. A red bracelet is wrapped securely around my wrist. She nods. "You probably don't know about this, but the peacekeepers give them to some of the kids in District Six as a sign that they are 'troublemakers' or at least I think that's what they said. It's illegal for me to take it off without specific permission so I_ had_ to take it as my token." She smiles a little bit at this and I'm happy that I at least cheered her up a little bit.

**Sky, Age 15, District 10**

"What's that?" Ryden asks me from his seat on the other side of the room. My head snaps up and I glare at him. He needs to mind his own business. I continue to stud the delicate flower in my hands. It's a Camilla, my sister who was obviously named after this flower gave it to me when she said goodbye. "Okay, never mind. I can respect your space."

"Well you aren't doing a very good job of it," I say, barely loud enough for him to hear me. He doesn't respond so I continue to stroke my flower. I can hear the sounds coming from the TV Ryden is watching and I glance up to look at it every once in a while. He's watching the replays of the Hunger Games. "Turn that off."

"What?" He asks, looking at me, confused.

"Turn it off." I repeat. "I don't want to watch it." He turns it off and I just keep petting my flower.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I sit in front of the TV with a notebook, marking down things I notice about each of the tributes that might lead to their weaknesses. I doubt Thaddeus could go without drugs for very long. Vencitiy is stuck up and full of herself. Tanner isn't honest or respectful, I can tell by the way he slinks around. He probably has a secret that he'd prefer none of us know about. Ramona wore a tie die dress and then cursed out the entire audience. She has some serious anger issues. My district partner, Eclipse, has a picture of a dead dog as his token, therefore he is to caring and sentimental. Walley is impulsive. Sterling is a brat. Abby is deathly afraid of these Games, I can see it in her eyes.

I felt something earlier today when I volunteered. I _felt_ something. I've never felt anything before. I've always felt like ice, hard and cold. A shell with nothing on the inside. But that proved that I'm not dead. I have something on the inside… I just have to find it.

**Jessamine, Age 18, District 2**

The boy from District One named Raith… he seems so familiar I feel like my skull is going to split open. I swear I know him from somewhere… but where? He's in a different district so it isn't like I _should_ know him. Or, perhaps I don't actually know him at all? Maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me. Yes, I guess that's it. I'm in the Hunger Games I need to keep my mind as sharp as it is so I search around my room until I find a book of Sudoku puzzles. Heading back to my room I sit down to give them a shot but my mind keeps drifting. I know him from somewhere, I know I do. I've seen his face before…

Raith, where do I know you from?


	3. The Tribute Parade

**Enjoying reading this story? Good for you! You want to know what happens? It's probably only going to take me an hour at most to repost all the chapters so I hope that you read fast! If you've already read this story and you are just here to reminisce and whatnot that good for you! And did you know I have a new SYOT The Kill? I've already gotten all the tributes for it, sorry, but it's still going to be good! The story is just starting and the Reapings for it should be up sometime soon! Oh, the song in this chapter is Sleepwalker by Adam Lambert. Seriously, this is the only song I know by him. Enjoy!**

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**Oplarran, Age 18, District 2**

I lay on the table with the prep team as they work feverishly to make me look 'presentable' as they say. They said I looked like an old badger on steroids with a dead eye. Seriously, they actually said that to me. I like them less and less every second. They submerse me in an odd liquid that sooths my burning skin and the designer comes in. She has purple hair that is spiked all over her head and blood red eyes that make me feel like I'm in the presence of a demon.

"Put this on," She instructs me, wheeling in a cart with several clothing items on it. When I'm in the complete costume I look like a Roman emperor, with golden armor and a long red cape. The designer shoves me out into the tribute stables.

"Hey, Oplarran," I hear someone say. The girl from District One darts over to me holding a clipboard and a pen. I don't even get a chance to reply before she continues. "I'd like you to sign this paper since we are both Careers saying that you swear your eternal loyalty to me in this life and all that may follow." She is in a golden dress that sparkles in the light whenever she moves and golden high heels.

"What is your name?" I ask.

"Gleam," she replies, smiling. There is something in her eyes that I don't trust.

"I'm not going to sign your paper," I reply simply. We are the only tributes here so far. I walk over to chariot and rub the neck of one of the horses. Gleam follows me, obviously determined to get my signature.

"Come on," she says. "It's not like I will make you do anything you don't want to do! Well, as long as you want to do everything that I tell you to, otherwise, yes, I will make you do a thing that you don't want to but that's not the point. The point is that I would be a fair and decent leader for the Career alliance and I'd like to say that you look great and-"

"I'm not signing the paper," I repeat. She frowns and struts off leaving me alone with the horses. Thank god.

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

I love my designer. Well, he didn't really say anything but you should see what he put me in for the chariot ride! It fits my personality perfectly. I'm in a black, skin tight shirt with tortoiseshell fur on the shoulders and from my elbows to me wrist. I have fake claws on my hands and I'm wearing eye contacts so that I appear as if I have yellow cat eyes. I'm in skin-tight pants as well along with tortoiseshell fur boots. I have temporary cat whiskers on my face and I can actually twitch them like a cat would. I have a pair of cat ears as well that are attached to a headband that keeps them from falling off.

I pad into the stables and trot over to my district partner, Hunter, and leap up onto the chariot next to him. He's in a costume that resembles mine except he has been dressed to resemble a light brown wolf. I hiss at him playfully and he ignores me, just staring straight ahead. I stick my face next to his and tried to follow his eyes. "What are we looking at?" I ask.

"Nothing," He growls. "I'm trying to remain calm."

"You scared?" I ask, swatting at his whiskers. He glares at me and I take a small step back.

"No," He replies. "I'm angry."

"'Bout what?" I ask, sliding in between him and the front of the chariot. He sighs.

"This crap," He replies. I blink and he can tell I don't know what he's talking about. "The chariot rides, how they parade us in front of all these idiots like we are circus monkeys that they can have do whatever they want. The District Escort for choosing us out of all those other people. The-"

"Us?"

"What?"

"You said 'us'," I point out. "Not just 'me' which means that you included me which means you care."

"Well," He rubs his neck. "You remind me of my little sister, Michelle. I… I feel very… protective… of you."

"Wow," I say holding my hands up. "Don't go all Edward on me! I'm team Jacob!"

"What?"

"Nothing!" I say, quickly covering it up the Twilight reference with a smile. I hold out my hand. "Allies?" He hesitates but shakes it. I just earned myself an ally. Good for me.

**Madilynn, Age 13, District 3**

I sit quietly in my chariot, my legs pulled up to my chest and my body shaking. I. Hate. Crowds. Why do I have to go in front of one? And most importantly why do I have to go dressed as a computer? I'm in a leotard that is designed with computer chips and wires. It cuts off abruptly at the neck and glows in the dark. The chariot ride takes place at night so I should be light up like a light bulb. How spectacular.

"Hey, angel," Thaddeus says stepping onto the chariot with a smile on his face. He isn't high. In a matching outfit and after he's been worked on by the prep team he's actually not _to_ horrible looking. He notices I'm shaking. "What's wrong?"

I don't reply for a long time and when I finally do I don't answer his question. "How am I supposed to do this? I hate crowds, especially going in front of them…" I practically whisper, not looking at him.

"Hm…" He says sitting down next to me. His breath smells horrible. "Let me tell you a story." I look up at him and listen. "When I was about your age—what was that three years ago? Yeah, three years—I wanted to go to a party. My parents knew the kid throwing it and knew that there would be drugs there so they didn't want me to go. I had a big family then and my parents didn't pay much attention to me so of course I didn't listen. I didn't have any intention of trying the drugs then… but then I did… And it was the best thing I'd ever felt in my life. When I got home that night my house was burned down along with my entire family… except for me…"

"Oh my god…" I breathe. I finally understand Thaddeus. His life is so messed up, so sad and lonely that he just had to escape it. If he hadn't he would have been overtaken by depression. And he escaped by taking drugs. I'm not sure what exactly compels me to ask but I figure that if it will work for him it will work for me as well. "Can... can I have some?"

"Sure," He smiles. "I was actually about to take a hit myself. I'm not much of a crowd person either." He pulls a pair of needles out of his pocket—we have pockets in these costumes?—and hands me one. We inject them at the same time and my mind whirls. I see and world that I never have before. Kaleidoscope colors dance before my eyes and everything is transformed.

**Dream, Age 16, District 12**

I'm dressed as a coal miner. My arm itches from the coal dust. And I'm thirsty.

"Here," Taylor says handing me a paper cup filled to the brim with water. I blink.

"How did you know that I was thirsty?" I ask, taking a sip of water. It was clean and cool, sliding down my throat like a mouthful of heaven. I have never had water that beautiful and pure. Back in District Twelve the water we get is dirty and I once found a small fish in my bathwater.

"I know people," He shrugged. He's in the same coal miner outfit as I am but doesn't seem to care very much about how absolutely ridiculous we look right now. We wait on our chariot and watch as the other tributes file in. They're much more intimidating in person.

**Tanner, Age 17, District 4**

"Follow the cup with the coin," I instruct Walley with a playful smile. He's dressed as a tree. I shuffle the paper cups so quickly that his eyes can barely follow them. Lucky for me I'm in long sleeves. My idiot designer dressed me as a fish. A very creepy fish with long sleeves. In one swift motion I send the coin up my sleeve. Walley picks the cup that would have had the coin in it, had I not taken it out of the mix. He frowns before handing over five dollars. "Double or nothing?" I suggest with a charming grin.

"Um…" The District Seven tribute scratches his chin. "I'd rather not."

"It's your lose," I shrug.

"Can I give it a go?" A girl asks, trotting up. Her golden hair is up in a low ponytail and she is in a dress woven out of vines and leaves. Almost all of her legs are exposed and her feet are in a pair of green sandals. "My name is Abby; I'm the girl from District Eleven."

"Sure," I smile. "How about we play a different game, though?"

"What game?" She asks excitedly. She's beautiful and sweet. I'd like her for sure if she wasn't so naïve. She sits down across from me. Walley scoots over a little bit so that she can be directly in front of me but he sticks around to watch.

"It's simple," I say. I pull my deck of cards out from one of my pockets. It's my token; I always keep it with me. My father and I used to play with them all the time before I got reaped. We'd go into the back alleyways and swindle people out of their money with our tricks. I was never quite as good as he was but my skills still shouldn't be underestimated. "You pick a card and I use magic to find it again."

"Okay," She nods excitedly. I hold out the deck to her and she pulls a single card out of them all. I smile.

"Alright, Abby," I say. "Remember this card. Okay, good, now place it back in the stack. Tell Walley what it was… good…" I shuffle the cards in several original ways and lay them out face up in three different rows. "Which row is your card in?"

Abby points to one of the rows and I repeat this process several more times. It confuses most people but it's actually a pretty simple trick of memory and elimination. When she points to one row I memorize the cards in it and eliminate all the others. I reshuffle the cards and place them in different rows. When she points to the left row I memorize all the cards that are in this row that were also in the first and eliminate all the others. This goes on until I find her card, a queen of spades.

"Is this your card?" I ask, pretending to pull it out from behind her ear. She claps and hands over five dollars, still smiling as if she hadn't lost any money. She prances off and I watch as she goes with a confused expression. "What a weird girl…" I mutter, reshuffling my cards.

"I think Abby's alright," Walley says, stretching out on the ground and folding his hands behind his head.

"You mean you think she's pretty." I say with a raised eyebrow.

"That, too,"

**Sky, Age 15, District 10**

Thaddeus is high again; I can tell by the way he falls off his chariot when it's not even moving. That's not a surprise at all, he's a drug addict. What's weird is the fact that he got his district partner high, too. How do I know this? The bitch is poking me in the face and asking me if she can pet my mustache.

"I don't have a mustache!" I shout, shoving her away. She falls over on her bum and suddenly acts like I'm not there, walking over to Sterling from District Eight. She bows to him before kneeling over and kissing his shoes. He seems pleased by this until she talks.

"My queen," She says. "May I say you look beautiful in the meat dress you are wearing today?"

"It's a robe," He snaps back, strutting away to his chariot carrying a golden staff and wearing a bejeweled crown. He sure thinks of himself as royalty, alright. I snort at both of them and turn back around, leaning against the front of my chariot.

So some of the tributes got bad costumes, the District Four tributes being dressed as fish and District Seven being trees again, but that's not nearly as bad as mine. I'm dressed as a cow. A freaking cow! I think it's my designer's way of saying he thinks I'm fat. Screw him. He's gay; he has pink girl's hair that reaches the crook of his back. What a bastard.

"Hello, gorgeous," Ryden says, jumping up onto the chariot with me. I try to ignore his presence but he leans against the front of the chariot and bumps my shoulder with his own. I look at him blankly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm dressed as a cow," I reply to my fellow cow-costumed tribute through my teeth.

"Wow, I am, too!" He exclaims. "We have so much in common."

"Please shut up."

"Okay…"

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

Oh my god, we're going first! I hold on tightly to the bar in the front of the chariots as the horses take off. I'm temporarily blinded but my vision quickly returns. We are surrounded on both sides by towering stands of Capitol citizens all cheering for us. My golden dress flows out behind me as Raith and I are wheeling out before everyone else. He's in a golden suit that matches my own.

I love this. It's probably one of the happiest moments of my life. Everyone is cheering for me. I smile and wave at everyone just as I was told to do. My father once told me that he who gets a big head also gets big head injuries. Oh well.

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

We are going into the light! NO! Oh, wait… we are surrounded by gummy bears, rows and rows of gummy bears! My angel, Madilynn, and I ride on the chariot pulled by the green unicorns through the field of singing flowers.

_Outside the rain's fallin' down_

_There's not a drop that hits me_

_Scream at the sky but no sound_

_Is leaving my lips_

_It's like I can't even feel_

_After the way you touched me_

_I'm not asleep but I'm not awake_

_After the way you loved me_

The gummy bears cheer and the moon starts singing as we tear through the field, flames sparking up in our wake. Yeah, I _am_ that hot. I reach for my angel's hand and I hold it as we ride through the fields. I see thousands upon thousands of our clones floating in the sky, mimicking out movements.

_I can't turn this around_

_I keep runnin' into walls that I can't break down_

_I said I just wander around_

_With my eyes wide shut because of you_

_I'm a sleepwalker… walker… walker…_

_I'm a sleepwalker… walker… walker…_

_Let me out of this dream_

Suddenly, I see my family reflected in front of me, all of them standing there holding hands. I stretch out my arms as we draw closer to them but when they reach us and the chariot makes contact they turn to dust and I watch as their remnants blow away in the wind that we leave behind.

_Everywhere that I go_

_I see another memory_

_And all the places we use to know_

_They're always there to haunt me_

_I walk around and I feel so lost in the light_

_You're everything that I want but you don't want me…_

**Elias, Age 18, District 5**

I hate this. I mean, I'm dressed as a giant solar panel. My neck itches and I can't even scratch it. This is retarded. Ramona doesn't look any happier then I am, in fact she looks more pissed. She flicks off the audience whenever we pass a section of especially loud Capitol citizens. I would be doing this, too, but I don't want to ruin my chance of getting sponsors that much. So instead I try hard to pretend the audience isn't even there. I wish I wasn't even here.

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

Tanner and I look so good together. Okay, so we're dressed as fish. Oh well! I can make anything look good. And so can Tanner. He's so hot, with messy black hair and those captivating blue eyes. He's almost as gorgeous as me. I'm so glad he isn't as pretty as I am, otherwise I couldn't date him. I have a rule not to date guys that are better-looking then me, even though they are extremely rare, because they would make me look bad by comparison. So, yes, I could date Tanner. Well, I mean, there's the fact that only one of us can survive the Hunger Games… I don't know, maybe I'm just over thinking it.

**Eclipse, Age 17, District 6**

I smile and wave at all the Capitol citizens while Peregrine just stands there with a blank expression. I see why everyone calls her Poker Face. I don't understand her, doesn't she want sponsors? Sponsors lead to gifts in the arena which lead to survival. It's a simple equation; she of all people should understand that. I've seen this girl do math before, she's the best in our entire school at it. I really think she may be a computer.

Being the transportation district, we are dressed to look like old-timey airplane attendants, in suits with the name tags and everything. Peregrine is really beautiful, with her hair up in a tight bun and her whitish blue eyes looking as startling as ever with mascara and eyeliner on them. As cold and emotionless as she is, she is still one of the most breathtaking girls I've ever seen.


	4. Training: Day One

**Ok, this is one of my favorite chapters. Why? THERE IS A LINT ROLLER! And extremely anazing lint roller that I, like, worship. And not only that, it's just a really good chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Madilynn, Age 13, District 3**

What as I thinking? Why on Earth did I take those drugs? I feel like crap. I stumble out of my room and into the dining room where I fall into a chair and dive into my breakfast. Everyone else has already eaten. I don't remember much about last night, just that I was freaking out about the chariot ride, I took some drugs and then things got all freaky. This giant toad that was next to me was holding my hand… I assume it was Thaddeus…

Well, I've made my mind up about one thing: I am _never_ doing drugs again.

When I go back to my room I find that my training outfit has been laid out for me. I pull it on and examine myself in the mirror. I look about as bad as I feel, with knots in my hair and bags under my eyes. I brush my hair and get most of the knots out and try desperately to cover up the bags with makeup. Maybe no one noticed last night? But when I flip my TV on I know it's not the case. I see myself immediately, breathing hard and looking like I was about to fall off my chariot. Thaddeus doesn't look much better considering he's screaming about singing flowers and gummy bears.

There goes my chance for getting any sponsorship.

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

When the instructor releases us I go straight to the archery station. Delicately picking up a silver bow and slinging the quiver over my shoulder, I pull an arrow out and load it into the bow. It's been awhile since I've used one and I only hit the target on the shoulder. On my second try, however, I hit it straight in the head. That would have been a killing shot.

I look in the row to my left and watch as three arrows in a row hit the target in the head in exactly the same place. I look at the archer to see that it was Hunter Putnar, the tribute from District Nine.

I try to ignore him, but no matter what I do he does it twice as well. Finally, I get so pissed off that I just stalk off to another station. I'm already great at archery, it isn't like I need to practice, anyway. Besides, Hunter is a jerk and I don't want to be around him. I make a mental note to myself: _Hunter dies first_.

**Dillon, Age 14, District 11**

I throw the axe and watch as it sinks into the head of the practice dummy. I smile and go to pull it out. I've been using an axe to chop down trees and to hunt for ages so I'm pretty good at it. I rip it out of the dummy and go back to the beginning of the lane. Velvet stalks over from archery looking pretty pissed off. She picks up an axe and hurls it at the target, missing by several feet. She goes to pull it out of the wall but I get there first.

"You threw it wrong," I inform her innocently. "You have to keep your arm facing straight ahead of you. When you threw it you arm strayed off to the right a little." She glares daggers at me and I take a step back.

"Back off, asshole," She growls. I'm stung and place down my axe to go somewhere else, heading over to Edible Plants. I guess this isn't so bad…

**Sterling, Age 16, district 8**

I listen to the instructor blabbing on and on about spear-throwing and it seems like ages before he finally lets me give it a go. Picking up a silver spear I balance it carefully and watch as it soars gracefully through the air. I miss completely.

"Aw, tough luck, buddy," Walley says, padding over and patting me on the back. Ew, it touched me.

"Don't worry," Tanner says appearing on my other side. "All you have to do is balance it carefully and use your other arm to aim. Don't stand completely sideways like you were, you have to be at a slight angle. And you have to use the muscles in your side like springs so that you can propel it further through the air."

"I don't have time to deal with you commoners," I say, sticking my nose in the air. "I know how to do it. I was just… err… Showing the other tributes how _not _to do it."

"What other tributes?" Tanner asks. "We're the only ones in this station." I glance around and find that they are right. Oops.

"How peculiar," I lie. "They were here a few moments ago."

"Sure they were…" Walley muttered. He brightened up suddenly and patted me on the back once more. I shrink away. I don't know where that thing has been! "Well good luck!" The two of them head off laughing and I narrow my eyes. I go to pull my spear out of the wall and when I turn around a girl is directly in front of me, her face only inches away from mine. I jump backwards out of shock.

"Hi!" She says cheerily. "My name's Abrielle, but you can call me Abby. I'm the tribute from District Ten. It's nice to meet you, Sterling." She holds out her hand and I tentatively shake it. She's slightly shorter then me with golden hair that cascades down past her shoulders and piercing blue eyes that twinkle in the light.

"Nice to meet you, too, Abby," I say.

"So has everyone in your family always been rich?" She asks. I'm beginning to warm up to her with her charming personality and polite interest in me. She might not be as horrible as the other commoners.

"For a very long time, yes," I reply. "I'm a direct descendant of Paris Hilton…"

"Who's that?" She asks, still smiling. I sigh and decide not to answer. I step around her and head back to the mark on the ground that I'm supposed to throw the spear from. Abby follows me and stands behind me as I get ready to throw again. I try to remember Tanner's advice, even though he's a simpleton. This time it hits the target perfectly. "That was great!" Abby says.

"Thank you," I smile. I don't do that very often, it feels kind of unnatural.

"Hey…" Abby tails off. "What's that?"

"What's what?" I ask. She pulls something off my back and hands it to me. _Kick me _is written in marker. My eye twitches. "Tanner and Walley…" I growl, remembering how Walley patted me on the back.

"Hey, there's something on the back of it." Abby points out. I flip it over and find a note which I read with increasing annoyance.

_Dear Sniveley,_

_ If you ever want to see your lint roller again then you will meet us in the cafeteria at 12:04 and will verse Tanner at whatever game he chooses. If you win then you get your lint roller back along with all the money Tanner has won off the other tributes. If he wins, however, then he gets to keep the lint roller and you have to pull us around in a rickshaw for the rest of the day while wearing a wedding dress._

–_Tanner and Walley_

I gasp and drop the paper on the ground. Hands shaking I check my pockets. My lint roller is gone! Abby picks up the paper and studies it, mouthing the words as she reads them in her head. When she finally finishes she looks up to see me shaking. "Why do you have a lint roller?"

"Well it _was_ my token!" I squeal. "But now it's gone! Abby, I have to get it back! It's the only thing that keeps me from being covered in hair! Oh no… the hair… they're coming for me! They're everywhere!" I begin swatting at the air, trying to keep the vermin off my clothes. Abby grabs me by the shoulders and looks me in the eyes.

"We'll get your lint roller back," She promises. I nod, somehow knowing that she means what she says.

**Jessamine, Age 18, District 2**

That is it, I can't take it anymore. I've been sitting at the Survival Station staring at Raith from across the room through a pair of binoculars for half an hour. I know him from somewhere, I know I do. I place the binoculars on the ground and jog over to where he stands with Oplarran, Gleam and Vencitiy at the knives station.

"That's it," I say when I reach them. I look Raith straight in the eyes. "I know you from somewhere."

He narrows his eyes in thought for a moment and we all wait in anticipation… well, except for Citiy, as Vencitiy told me to call her, who is fixing her makeup. Maybe he will remember? Suddenly, something clicks in his head and I wait for him to tell me that I haven't been going nuts and I actually do know him. That's not what happens. Instead he grabs the nearest knife, shoves me up again a wall and holds it to my throat. I'm in shock and don't have time to do anything.

"Your brother killed her!" He screeches as the peacekeepers drag him off of me. "Your brother killed Quartz!" I'm shocked at the hatred in his eyes as the peacekeepers take him away. I've never seen that much rage before. I shake and sit down to comprehend this. I remember him now. I saw him when they went to interview the families of the eight remaining tributes last year. My brother, Cameron, made it that far so obviously I was in the interviews and that's why I watched them when it came on TV. I remember Raith, talking about how he was positive that his fiancé was going to make it out, like there was no doubt in the world that she was going to lose. The next day my brother put a dagger through her heart.

**Abby, Age 14, District 11**

I walk behind Sterling as we head into the cafeteria. We quickly fill our plates and walk to the back corner of the lunch room where Walley sits opposite of Tanner. When we reach them their talking stops abruptly and a grin spreads across Tanner's face.

"Sterling!" He smiles. "Ready to play?"

"Actually," I say, stepping forward. "I'm going to be playing for Sterling."

"Very well," He chuckles. "How about we play that game you wanted to play before, hm? The one with the cups and the coin?"

"Sure," I say excitedly. Walley stands and leaps over the table to sit next to Tanner, a mischievous look in his eyes. Tanner pulls out three cups and shows me a coin that he probably stole from one of the Avoxes. He places it under the middle cup and slides them around like lightning. I think Walley is the only one who can really follow the right cup. I can tell when Tanner slides the coin into his lap, his eyes flicker down to make sure that it didn't hit the floor. Finally, after making me dizzy, Tanner stops and motions for me to choose the cup with the coin. I can practically feel the anxiety rolling off of Sterling. It was mean for them to do this to him.

As I slowly pick up one of the cups I tilt it towards me to make sure that they can't see what I'm doing. If you didn't know, my token is a rather large bracelet that I found outside me house one day. When I slightly lift up the cup I pretend to be peeking under it nervously, while I really slid in a new, identical coin that I had been hiding under my bracelet. When I pull the cup up to reveal the coin under it the look on Tanner's face is priceless.

"I… but… I…" He mumbles, scratching his head.

"I believe you owe us," Sterling smirks, holding out his hand proudly.

"She cheated somehow!" Tanner hisses, standing up. "You had to win it back fair and square! Now you get nothing!" And with that he storms off. Walley, however, stays seated and waits until Tanner is out of earshot before he speaks.

"Here," he says, handing us the lint roller and a wad of money. "You won it."

"Does Tanner know that you're giving it to us?" I ask, curiously.

"No he does not, Abbylicious," He winks before standing and going after Tanner.

"That peasant," Sterling growled. "The nerve of him, calling _my_ Abby that hideous name…"

"What'd you say?" I ask, pretending I hadn't heard him. He blushed.

"Nothing,"

"Okay," I say, deciding not to pressure him. I look at the lint roller. It's just a simple one; I don't know why he made such a big deal out of it. "Why does it mean so much to you, anyway?"

"My dad gave it to me a few years ago," He explains. "He, um… He doesn't come around much… and when he does he barely even notices me. I like to keep it to remind myself that he does know I exist…"

I feel a sudden burst of passion for Sterling. He had a tough time as a kid and I just thought that he grew up without even lifting a finger. Maybe there is a lot more to Sterling then I originally thought. We eat the rest of our meal in a satisfying silence, neither of us needing to say anything at all.

**Taylor, Age 14, District 12**

"Can I sit here?" I ask Ryden. He nods and I sit down next to him. My mentor said that I'm going to need an ally and I plan on getting one. "Did you hear what happened with Abby and Mr. Moneybags over there?" I ask, motioning towards Sterling and Abrielle.

"No," He shakes his head. "What happened?"

"Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee," I say pointing over my shoulder at Walley and Tanner who are throwing meatballs at each other. "Stole Sterling's lint roller."

"Lint roller?"

"Yeah, he's token's a lint roller," I chuckle. "Little Ms. Sunshine beat Tanner at his own game and won it back. Me thinks the chica from District Eleven has more in dat blonde-haired head den we know." I say that last part in a Spanish accent.

"Interesting…" Ryden nods, plopping a meatball into his mouth. This is a good start.

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

Velvet's got something against me. She's staring me down from across the lunchroom. Looking at her now, she sits in the very far corner stabbing a meatball with her fork like it's my face. I think I pissed her off when I showed her up at archery. It wasn't my fault that she can't do what I can. I can see her point, though. I'd be pretty pissed, too, if someone showed me up at the thing I was best at. I guess she's going to have to find another thing to be great at because I call archery.

I miss home. I miss running through the forest with the wolves. I'm not really a people person, but they seem to understand me. What I mean is we have a sort of agreement. We hunt together and split the kill. I don't know how it happened, it just did. I miss the endless fields of grain, the constant smell of bread and even the towering factories. More then anything, though, I miss my little sister, Michelle. She's the world to me; she's the only family I have left. And I'm the only family she has. If I die in the Hunger Games… she'll be all alone…

I wasn't lying to Roshan when I told her that she reminded me of her. She's only a year older then my little sister, and they are so much alike. Michelle looks a lot like her, with black hair and the same milk chocolate skin. And she's never afraid to voice her opinion, no matter what it may be. That takes real courage.

Everyone knows I have a lot of anger inside me, it's obvious to them. But for some reason people have trouble understanding that it's aimed at the Capitol. They think that since it's their government the Capitol is always right, they always have a reason behind everything they do, that they are just and fair in their judgments, whether we understand them at all. I don't believe in that sort of thinking. I say, if there is something I don't understand then explain it to me. And if you don't explain it to me then you don't understand it yourself.

**Ramona, Age 16, District 5**

The trainer blows the whistle and I leap into action, dodging padded clubs and jumping from platform to platform. The Gauntlet isn't that hard, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I flip over another club and completely skip one of the platforms since I can reach the one after it without landing there. I'm a good runner and jumper; I've been doing track and field since I was twelve.

Reaching the end of the course I breathe heavily and head over to the refreshment table. Walley is there, stuffing his face with cookies. I try to ignore him as I pick up a paper cup filled with Coke but he steps towards me. Oh great.

"Hi," He says his mouth full. "You're a good runner."

"I know," I say, turning away from him. He's trots to the other side of me when I turn however. I spin on my feet but he's there again. I can't shake him. I sigh.

"I'm a good runner, too, you know," He says. "Care to race?"

"Sure," I say, interested in the challenge. It will be funny to beat his sorry butt. I chug the rest of my Coke and crumple up the cup, tossing it into the trashcan. Walley and I head over to the Gauntlet and take our places. I burst out of the starting position and leave him in the dust. When I reach them end of the track he's barely halfway through. Fast runner, yeah right! When he reaches the end he's panting hard and looks like he may fall over. "Better luck next time, kid," I tell him, heading to a new station.

**Raith, Age 17, District 1**

That girl is related to the monster that killed Quartz. And she didn't remember me? How dare she? Her kin took the only good thing in my heart, ripped it out and tossed it away, like it was nothing. Quartz was more then nothing! She was everything to me. I remember making plans with her about how we would grow old together. We were going to have three children and we would give them everything. We'd watch them grow and thrive and help them whenever they needed to be guided back on the right path. Now I will never be able to see that happen, all because a murderer named Cameron Mason stabbed her through the heart with a silver dagger.

I know I will have to be in an alliance with that monster named Jessamine. I'll have to if I want to survive. The Careers always make it to the end and without them my chances would be slim. I promised Quartz that I would win the Hunger Games for her. I'm going to keep that promise or I'm going to die trying. And I'm happy it's that way, because I'd rather die then break a promise that I made to her.


	5. Training: Day Two

**So if you haven't noticed by now I am literally just sitting here reposting all of the chapters. And, hey, let this be a lesson to you to always save your stories! ALWAYS! Sure, they still took down my story, but at least I can repost it! Always. Save. Your. Writing.**

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**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

Velvet is doing it again. I'm over at archery just hitting targets and she's staring at me through a pair of binoculars from the survival station. I'm pretty sure she's been doing this for at least an hour. I'm just doing what I do best and if she has a problem with that then she needs to say so. I try hard to ignore her but she just keeps staring at me. Okay, now she's started writing stuff down on a notepad. She's taking notes on me! That's where I draw the line. I stalk over to the survival station and Velvet puts down her binoculars and glares at me.

"What's your problem?" I demand. She doesn't say anything, just stares at me through hateful eyes. This only enrages me more. "Look, if you're this convinced that you are better then me at archery why don't we just have a competition to find out?"

"Good idea," She hisses, rising to her feet. "Meet me in the archery station after lunch." And with that she stalks of. I watch her go with narrowed eyes. I need to calm down. _One… two… three… four…_

I just realized something. This girl is a serious threat.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I head into the survival station after Velvet leaves and pick up her pair of binoculars. Through them I watch the other tributes, all the other tributes. I brought the notebook with me, the one I took out of my apartment. As I watch I mark down things I notice about each of the tributes.

Hunter is bad with short range weapons. I watch him as he tries to succeed in the Swords Station. He fumbles with the blade and has extreme difficulty balancing it. He drops it at one point and it almost impales his foot. I can tell how hard he is trying but he just isn't good at it.

Madilynn has two different personalities, but this has gone unnoticed by the other tributes so far. During the tribute parade she was so depressed that Thaddeus convinced her to take drugs. Today she is bounding around with merrily Abby, for whatever reason asking people if they would drink pineapple soda. What is the point of that? How is it going to get them get any further in the Games? Unless they plan on poisoning pineapple soda and leaving it out for tributes to drink…

Tanner is sexist and disrespectful. I can see him staring at the butts of the girl tributes, and he even slaps Vencitiy there at one point. She squeaks and darts away before anyone can even see her reaction. I assume she went to go apply more makeup or fix her hair, since that seems to be what she does the most. He muses to Walley about how funny it is to watch girls try to be as good as boys. I can see that Walley does not agree with it, it's written all over his face, but he pretends to by nodding and laughing halfheartedly.

Sky is afraid of fire. She and her district partner, Ryden, were in the survival station, the one I'm in now, and he started a fire. She didn't know he was doing it and when she smelt smoke she screamed and crawled away. Ryden put the fire out and held her until she finally stopped shaking, which took five minutes at the minimum. It seems something traumatic happened to her with fire at a young age and now she has a phobia of it. Her fear intrigues me. I've never felt fear myself, or any other emotion for that matter. Except in the Reaping when I volunteered. I want to feel something again and I'm going to find a way to do it no matter what it takes.

**Ivy, Age 17, District 7**

"Hello," I say, trotting up to the tribute from District Five with a smile. He studies me with a blank expression. "I'm Ivy Bane, the tribute from District Seven. What's your name?"

"Elias," He replies simply.

"That's a cool name," I smile. "Do you have any brothers and sisters back home?"

"I have a sister," He replies, going back to the snare that he was trying to perfect.

"I have two little sisters," I say. "Their twins, named Amber and Anna. Come to think of it, I don't know why my mother gave them names that sound so much alike. Anyway, I miss them so much, so I know you must miss your sister a whole lot, too. I mean, on the day of the Reaping Anna and Amber were playing with these swords that Heath, that's my boyfriend, and I used to play with when we were kids and they sharpened them for some reason and Amber got cut. It wasn't their fault, though, they didn't know better. Oh, I miss them so much. I miss Heath, too. He's kind of my rock in a way, always being there for me and never leaving my side when I need him most. And he has the cutest smile. I just hope that I get to see it again. My father died when I was seven in an accident in the lumber yard and that was really sad, so I miss him, too. I guess that would be an upside to dying in the Hunger Games, I would get to see him again but… are you listening?"

"Nope," He responds, fiddling with his snare. I sigh and head off, wiping a tear off my cheek. I do miss them… a lot. I babble when I'm anxious or sad. Sitting down in an empty chair next to the refreshments table I cradle my head in my hands. How did I let my life slip away from me? I spent so much of my time playing pretend and getting lost in my fantasy world… now I don't even have time to wake up from my dreams.

**Ryden, Age 18, District 10**

I see Sky struggling at the knots station and I can't help myself. Sneaking up behind her, I rap my arms around her and start working on the knot for her. She leaps away with anger in her eyes.

"Oh, come on Sky," I smile. "You know you liked it…"

"No, Ryden," She growls. "I didn't. I can do the knot on my own, and I'd really prefer that you don't touch me."

"Come on," I say stepping towards her until her face is barely inches from mine. "You weren't complaining about me touching you a little while ago when I started that fire. In fact, I remember you holding onto me pretty tightly and burrowing your face into my shirt. It's okay though, I understand, I'm pretty hard to resist." I say, teasingly.

She spits in my eye, which extremely hurts, and goes back to working on her knot.

"Okay," I say slowly, rubbing my eye and trying to get her DNA off of my cornea. "You wanna be left alone. I get that. See you later, Sky." I wave to her as I leave, even though she's not looking, and glance around the room. Where to go next…? I see Taylor over in the hammock making station, chilling out in a hammock that he must have made himself. "Hey, Taylor," I say sitting down at the table and starting to weave my own hammock.

"Sup, Ryden?" Taylor asks, swinging back and forth.

"Just making a hammock," I sigh.

"You seem a little down on yourself," He commented, folding his hands behind his head. He reminds me of a surfer. "Got anything to do with Sky?"

"Perhaps," I mutter.

"_Perhaps?_" He repeated, rolling onto his stomach to look at me. I nod. "Now I know it's definitely about Sky, no one says _perhaps_ without having a girl on their mind."

"Um…" I mutter. "Okay… So what if it has to do with Sky?"

"Because you're worrying to much," Taylor says, sipping orange juice out of a coconut that I hadn't noticed he had. Now he really looks like a surfer. "Dude, you just gotta go with the flow. Worrying isn't getting you anywhere. March over there and ask her to be your girl, or just don't worry about it. You need to chill."

I nod. "Yeah, I guess I'll just forget about her. Or… I can do something really spectacular for her and she'll see how amazing I am and then she'll ask _me_ to be her girl… or… whatever, you know what I mean! Thanks, Taylor, you're the best."

"Um, anytime," I hear him say as I race off to go put my plan into motion.

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

My throwing knife hits a target and I sigh. So what if no one will sign my contract? It doesn't matter; I'm obviously going to be the leader anyway. I mean, lets think about it. Raith has anger issues. Jessamine is hated by Raith. Oplarran is too soft, even though he's really scary looking. Citiy is to busy checking her makeup to check and see how the rest of us are doing. Tanner is… um… is he even in the Career alliance? He barely talks to any of us but I know Citiy has a crush on him… but she has bad taste. He's a street rat and a thief, he'd probably betray us. But he _is_ from District Four and his skills could prove useful.

I've been off my game lately. I don't know what's been distracting me so much but I think I'm back. I suppose I'll let Tanner into the Career alliance, no one else has thieving and trickery skills like he does. But he cannot be trusted. Hm… I need to insure that he won't betray us… I have an idea…

Checking my makeup and hair, I walk over to where he and Walley are in the edible insects station. I pull the neck of my shirt down a little before sitting on his lap. He is temporarily in shock and I use this to my advantage.

"Hi, Tanner," I say, running my hand through his black hair. I can see Citiy fuming on the other side of the room. I'll have to make up an excuse to tell her later, but right now I need to focus on this.

"Um, hi Gleam…" He says slowly. Walley's mouth dropped open the second I got here and I'm trying hard not to laugh. "Um… what are you doing?"

"Just getting comfortable," I smile. I tilt my head to the side slightly. "That's okay with you, right? I mean… a girl like _me_ really needs a strong man like _you_ to protect me. You will protect me, won't you?" I wrap my arms around his neck and an idiotic smile spreads across his face. This is demeaning.

"You can bet on it," He smiles. His breath smells like dead fish. That's gross. I give him a smile peck on the cheek.

"I knew I could count on you," I whisper in his ear. "Eat with the other Careers at lunch today, though, okay baby?"

"Okay," He grins. I walk away, waving seductively back at him as I go. What an idiot.

**Dream, Age 16, District 12**

I'm over in Edible Plants and just passed the test with flying colors. I've read books about almost all of these stations. I love reading because it tells me all about the world around me and how to navigate through it successfully. It seems all that knowledge is going to be pretty useful now that I'm in the Hunger Games. I know that some of the other tributes are unprepared for this. Take Abrielle for example. She isn't very good with any of the weapons and she knows absolutely nothing about surviving in the wild. I feel bad for her; she's probably going to die in the blood bath. It's a shame; she's such a nice girl. And look at Walley. The poor kid is in so much shock from being reaped that he has to distract himself with childish pranks so that the realization never fully dawns on him until he's in the arena, and by then it will be to late. His district partner as well, Ivy, she is just as bad as he is, running around and trying to make friends with all the tributes. Does she think that once we get into the arena that friendships will last? I know that they won't. The second the Games begin all bonds will be forgotten and the ones who will survive longer then the rest will be the ones that spend their time wisely, learning instead of making friends or pulling pranks. Wisdom is power, power is strength, and in the Hunger Games only the strong survive.

**Oplarran, Age 18, District 2**

I sit down at the lunch table to find that things are… a little different then yesterday. Tanner finally decided to show up and Gleam is fawning all over him like he's Jesus or something. Jessamine actually sits quietly for once, not looking up from her food while Raith casts her death stares from across the table. Vencitiy sits doing her makeup and I find we're the only ones actually acting normal.

"Oh, Tanner," Gleam giggles as she feels his muscles. "Your arms are so strong! Your muscles are so big!"

"My muscles aren't the only thing that's big, baby," He says. They start making out and I notice Vencitiy is glaring at Gleam over the top of top of her mirror. She grips her eyeliner so hard that it finally just snaps but no one else seems to notice. Raith starts stabbing a baked potato. Jessamine pushes her plate away from her before standing and walking away, heading over to go sit with Walley who was left alone with Ivy since Tanner is with us today.

Looks like things are going to get very interesting…

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

Jessamine walks over and sits down next to Ivy. I glance up as she does this with a surprised expression on my face. Don't the Careers usually stay, oh, I don't know, with the Careers? It's weird for her to leave them but I remind myself that Jessamine was reaped and that she wasn't a volunteer.

"Hi," She says, sitting down.

"Jessamine," I say. "Shouldn't you-"

"Call me Jess," She corrects.

"Okay," I nod. "Jess, why are you over here?"

"One of my allies wants to murder me." She replies simply.

"Raith?" Ivy guesses. Jess nods. "Raith is an antisocial kid with an unhealthy obsession with the Games and his dead girlfriend. He's crazy. You don't need to worry about him, Jess."

"The crazy ones are the most dangerous," She says.

"Jess has a point," I agree. "But if Raith is sitting with you at the Career table then doesn't that mean he's willing to put up with you—no offense—so that you can both be in the alliance?"

"Yes," She nods impatiently. "But that doesn't mean _I_ want to be in an alliance with someone who hates me!"

"Well, look at it this way," Ivy continued. "Would you rather work with someone who hates you or would you rather die?"

"Good point," Jess said, leaping to her feet and heading back over to the Careers.

"We're good at giving advice," I say, watching her go. Gleam is sitting in Tanner's lap. The dude's being an idiot, falling for her tricks. Almost as stupid as Ramona believing that I run slower then her when I threw the race yesterday. Gleam's so obviously faking, I can tell she doesn't actually like him, the chick is manipulating him. She's just using him because he is too blind to see that. I would have thought that all those days in the alleys would have made him a little more street smart.

"Yeah, we are," Ivy nods, interrupting my train of thought. Suddenly, Abby bounces over with an excited look in her eyes. Sterling follows a little ways behind her, obviously not wanting to get very close to me for whatever reason. I don't really care if he gets close to me, though, the kid's a brat.

"Sup, Abby?" I ask, taking a bite of my second baked potato.

"Did you hear?" She says.

"Hear what?" Ivy questions, looking up from her steak.

"Velvet and Hunter are going to have an archery competition right after lunch!" She squeaks. And with that she bounds off, Sterling following her a little more slowly. This could be a good opportunity for Tanner and me to test out our reporting skills…

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

"I'll go first," I growl at Hunter after lunch is over. We stand at the archery range, each of us holding our bows with our quivers slung over our shoulders. Meanwhile, a small crowd has formed to watch, including the Careers, Peregrine who is taking notes, Ivy, Roshan who made a 'Team Hunter' T-shirt by writing on her training shirt in ketchup, and Walley and Tanner who are pretending to be sports commentators and are talking into plastic forks like their microphones.

"Oh, we've got a great lineup for you today, folks," Walley chirps.

"In this corner we have Hunter, the handsome tribute from District Nine with some serious anger issues. In this corner," Tanner chimes, pointing to me. I glare at him but he doesn't care. "We have Velvet, the gothic huntress from District Eight. I say, Walley, what is up with archers and temperament problems?"

"I don't know, Tanner," Walley shrugs. "But they all seem to have 'em. Interesting fact about, archery, Tanner-"

"No one cares!" Ramona shouts from the back of the crowd. "Just get on with it!"

"Fine!" Walley snaps back. He looks at Hunter and I. "The person with the most bull's eyes at the end of ten rounds wins. And by rounds I mean you both shoot once. Let it begin!"

I take up my place and aim with my bow, willing myself to focus all of my energy on my shot. The crowd goes silent and I think I might be holding my breath. I let the arrow fly and it hits the target perfectly. I smirk and take a step back, gazing at Hunter. Like he can do any better! He steps up to the mark and his arrow hits the bull's eye as well. I frown.

"Wow, what a spectacular beginning," Walley continues.

"I couldn't agree more," Tanner nods. "And Velvet steps up to the mark to kick off the second round. Let's watch and see if she can pull off the same feat again." Ignoring them I shoot another arrow straight into the target. I grin until Hunter matches me again.

"The competitors are neck and neck as we enter the third round." Walley comments. I'm about to shoot when someone coughs, distracting me for just a fraction of a second. However, it's enough to make me miss the mark, if only by half a centimeter. "Aw, Tanner, how is that going to affect her score in the long run?"

"Well, now Hunter has to miss at least one for a tie, two for a win. However, that's only if Velvet doesn't miss any more targets. If she-"

"SHUT UP!" I yell, staring daggers at them. They shut their mouths and I shoot another target perfectly, but so does Hunter. This kid is seriously pissing me off. I hit another bull's eye. What are we on, round five? Yeah, round five. Hunter looks like he is about to have another perfect shoot when I subtly bump into his arm causing him to loose balance. I don't think anyone saw.

"Foul!" Tanner yells, waving his hands in the air. That's it; I've had enough of this kid. Loading another arrow, I shoot it right in between his fingers and it sticks in the wall behind him. His eyes grow large and he stares at the arrow I shot at him. I flash a demonic grin and the rest of the match goes off without either off us missing a single target.

"It seems like we have a tie," Walley declares. The crowd disperses, leaving Hunter and I alone. He's counting under his breath, but finally looks at me through narrowed eyes.

"I guess I…" He says slowly, as if it pains him. "Underestimated you. I was… _wrong_…" I give him a small nod. "Those were pretty impressive archery skills, Velvet. It's nice to see I'm not the only one with a hawk's eye." And with that he strides off. I watch him go through confused eyes. That is one odd boy…

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

When training ends and we all head back to our separate floors I have a bad feeling on this inside. How _dare_ Gleam do that to me when she _knows_ that I like Tanner? And what does he see in her anyway? I'm so much prettier then her. You know what? I'm going to go find out. Leaving my own room, I walk down the long hall until I reach Tanner's. I knock loudly on the door.

"Come in," He says from inside. I quickly check my clothes, makeup and hair in one fluid motion before stepping inside. Tanner sits cross-legged on his bed, shuffling the deck of cards that he brought from District Four. I strut into the room and sit down next to him on the mattress and simply watch him shuffle them for a while.

"I like you," I finally blurt, not looking up from the deck of cards.

"I know," he replies simply.

"Then tell me," I begin. "Who do _you_ like, Tanner? Me or Gleam?"

"Citiy," He says looking up. "There is no one on this planet that I would rather be with more then you. You should know that. You are the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen in my life. You're gorgeous."

"I know," I reply. "But then why do you keep letting Gleam think that you like _her?_"

"I can't risk splitting up the alliance," He answers. "And if I told her that I liked you instead of her… it would destroy her."

"I guess you're right," I nod.

"I am right." He nods. He kisses me on the forehead and my insides turn to mush. "And I'm going to keep pretending to like Gleam, okay? So remember… whatever you see and whatever you hear… it's all just an act. Don't believe anything Gleam tells you or anything that I say while she's around."

"Okay," I nod, walking out of the room, gently closing the door behind me and feeling a lot better.

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

"So what's our strategy?" I ask, plopping down on the couch across from Hunter. He doesn't respond and I try to tell what he's staring at. "Um… Hunter?" He still doesn't hear me. "Hunter!"

"What?" His head whips around and he looks around wildly like he thinks he's under attack. When he realizes that it was me who spoke he calms down a bit, panic turning into annoyance. "What is it, Roshan?"

"What's our strategy?" I repeat. He blinks at me. "You know… in the Games… The Hunger Games, the fight to the death that we've all been entered in… only one will survive… Am I ringing a bell here?"

"Oh, yeah," He nods. What's up with him? "I guess my mind is just… somewhere else…"

"Where's somewhere else?" I persist. I say the next part in the kind of voice that I talk to my little brother, Stanley, in, "Is wittle Hunty sad dat he got shown up by a girwl?"

"What?" He growls. "No!"

"Is your mind on that girwl?" I snoop. Come on, how couldn't I help but stick my nose in it?

"No," he denies. I raise an eyebrow. "She's a good archer."

"And she's pretty, too," I add with a mischievous grin. His head spins and I leap to my feet and race out of the room before he gets the chance to throw something at my head. I'm awesome like that.

**Sky, Age 15, District 10**

"Ug, Ryden, what is this?" I demand as he leads me down the hallway, his hands covering my eyes. I try to feel ahead with my hands to make sure that he isn't leading me into a pot of boiling tar or something. "I swear, if anything jumps out at me…"

"Nothing's going to jump out at you, I promise." He says trying to reassure me. Honestly, I was never assured to start with. As we continue walking I feel a very familiar crack in the ground, one that happens to be right outside my bedroom door.

"Ryden," I say. "Did you just lead me in a circle?"

"Maybe," I can hear the excitement in his voice. He pushes the door open and we step inside the room. "Okay, Sky… are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I sigh. He uncovers my eyes and I can't believe what I see. My entire room is covered in Camilla flowers. They're everywhere, in vases on the shelves, hanging from ribbons attached to the ceiling, strewn across the floor. The scent hits me hard and tears streak down my face as I take in the beauty of it all. "Oh Ryden…" I breathe. "It's amazing." I step further into the room and gently stroke the petals on one of the flowers.

"Isn't it?" He laughs, stepping up beside me. "The Avoxes helped, of course. I remembered that your sister was named Camilla, and a Camilla flower was your token, too, so I thought you might like this."

I can't help but embrace the big idiot, no matter how annoying he can get sometimes. "Ryden…" I say slowly. "This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me… thank you."

He strokes my hair but for some reason I don't feel the urge to pull away. In fact… it's kind of soothing. "They're almost as beautiful as you…" He says, kissing my head. He bids me good night and I fall asleep in a garden all my own.


	6. Training: Day Three

**This is probably my favorite chapter EVER! You wanna know why? Teehee, you'll see... :D**

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**Sterling, Age 16, District 8**

"So, what's his name?" Abby asks as we meet up in the Training Center and I brush myself over with my lint roller. She's so beautiful. I've never seen anyone so… _exquisite_.

"What do you mean?" I ask, blinking in confusion. "What's whose name?"

"The lint roller," She laughed. I swear, when she smiles… its breathtaking.

"Um…" I rub my neck. "Is it supposed to have name?"

"Of course, silly," She giggles, taking it delicately in her hands. She studies it carefully for a few moments before looking up. "It looks like a Sherman."

"Okay," I say as she hands it back to me. "Sherman." I slid it into my pocket and we take off to a station that we chose at random. But of course I can't focus. How can I when I'm in the presence of an angel?

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

I'm sitting on Tanner's lap again making out with him, but I can feel his distraction. "Tanner," I say slowly, pulling back. I glance over my shoulder to see Citiy quickly avert her gaze and skulk away. Narrowing my eyes, I turn back around. "Are you _cheating_ on me with Citiy?"

"Gleam!" He says, looking offended. "There is no one on this planet that I would rather be with more then you. You should know that. You are the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen in my life. You're gorgeous."

"Oh, thank you," I say, flipping my hair. "But then why do you keep, like, looking at her? I can tell you're distracted. Am I not good enough for you?"

"Gleam, I like you," He says. "But, look, I'm _pretending_ to like Vencitiy."

"Why?" I ask, frowning.

"Because I can't risk splitting up the alliance," he replies. "And if she found out I like you instead of her… it would destroy her."

"I suppose," I sigh.

"Look," he says. "I'm going to keep pretending to like her. So remember… whatever you see and whatever you hear… it's all just an act. Don't believe anything Vencitiy tells you or anything that I say while she's around."

"Okay," I say, kissing him passionately again. He's like putty in my hands.

**Eclipse, Age 17, District 6**

I slice off the arm of a practice dummy with my sword before sinking it into its gut. It disgusts me, the fact that I'm going to have to hurt living things like this, but it will be necessary if I'm going to survive this killing game. Everyone is going to have to make sacrifices, some more then others. I don't want to let the Games change who I am. I'm not a murderer. But by the time the Games are over I know I will be. And that's only if I survive that long.

Things are getting tense, not like how friendly things were on the first day of training. Alliances have been formed, and I'm not in any of them. The Careers are standing around picking out people who will be the easiest to kill off. At one point I feel their sights rest on me, so I slice off the heads of a few dummies with my sword. Their gaze flits away, much to my satisfaction. They seem to think that Sterling would be an easy picking, but I'm not so sure since he's got a new girlfriend who seems to be pretty dangerous if she's got throwing daggers in her hands. Despite the obvious disagreement from Tanner, they've also been checking out Walley and Ivy who are struggling in the archery station.

I know one thing for sure. Once the games start these 'friendships' that have been forged here in the Training Center aren't going to last. Relationships are going to crumble, and I have a feeling that a whole lot of tributes are going to be crushed by the falling debris. Maybe it's a good thing that I don't have an alliance.

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

We're in the knives station when Sterling kisses me. Seriously, he kisses me! Before this I would have thought that the only thing between us was friendship… I was wrong. This is much more. My feelings for him explode inside me when we kiss and passion overflows my heart until it quivers out of sheer joy. I've never felt anything that amazing.

"Did I go too far?" He whispers as he pulls back, fear in his eyes. I smile.

"No," I say, and then kiss him back. "Not at all."

**Ramona, Age 16, District 5**

I stand in the camouflage station, mindless painting my arm to look like a tree, although it looks a lot more like mud. I'm watching Peregrine. She's been staying in the survival station all three days, staring at the other tributes, including myself, through binoculars and scribbling crap down in the damn notebook of hers. It makes my blood boil. Who does she think she is? Does she think she's too good to need any more training? She's probably the least equipped of any of us. I've heard the whispers about her from the other tributes. She feels no emotion, no love and no compassion. She feels no fear… so when it comes down to the end she won't have something all of us do have: survival instincts driving us to do the unthinkable.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the other tributes. I hate every stinking one, right down that idiot Taylor swinging back in forth in his hammock and Gleam walking around like she owns everyone. But I hate one in particular, even more then all the others: Abby. She's pathetic and cowardly, so much so that she grovels at the feet of the other tributes, practically begging them to like her so they don't kill her. And to think, she has so little self-worth that she's allied herself with Sterling, going as far as pretending to like him, to actually _kiss_ that brat. If he even touched me I'd snap that expensive little neck of his. There is nothing I want more then to kill the two of them once we get into the arena.

**Dillon, Age 14, District 11**

My district partner kissed Sterling. That is something that I cannot believe. I'd always thought that she'd be the kind of girl who'd become a cheerleader and date the captain of the football team. It seems I was wrong about her, and this is a relief to me. Football players never treat their girlfriends nicely. I can tell by the way that Sterling looks at her that he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. I hope they enjoy the time that have together, because it's not going to last long.

I'm worried about the private sessions. They start right after lunch. What if I mess up and they give me a low score? The other tributes will think I'm a weakling and they'll come after me. Or what if I do to good and they give me a high score? Then everyone would think I was a threat and come after me, too. But am I a threat? I, um… I don't think I stand much of a chance. I just hope that my family will be able to cope with my passing when the time does come that I die.

**Oplarran, Age 18, District 2**

Today is even worse at lunch. Gleam is still flirting with Tanner but he keeps glancing seductive looks at Vencitiy who doesn't look at all bothered by his affections towards Gleam. Gleam even catches him looking at Vencitiy every once in a while but she shakes it off and keeps fawning over him. It is really, really creeping me out. Meanwhile, Raith and Jessamine are hurling insults back and forth.

"You damn bloody murderer," Raith hisses.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jessamine growls. Well, they are talking today. At least they are making progress I guess. I do have one question, though… what on earth is up with my allies?

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

I watch the tributes around me as I sit alone. Sterling and Abby are holding hands and laughing. Huh, that's funny, I didn't know the rich kid could laugh. The Careers are being… well, themselves, with Gleam making out with Tanner who is sending glances at Vencitiy, while Raith and Jessamine argue and Oplarran just sits there being boring. Peregrine is scribbling things down like a madman, now, and Walley is walking around asking people if they are going to finish eating their food. Elias and Ramona sit alone, each of them looking as pissed off as they usually do. Madilynn, my angel, sits a few seats away from me, quietly eating some carrots with shaking hands.

The pain hits me out of nowhere, it always does. But it's not a pain in my stomach or my lungs or any other tangible body part for that matter. It's my heart, and its searing like it has burst into flames. Quickly standing up and fighting back tears, I hand Walley the rest of my food, which he looks delighted to get, and head into the guys bathroom. I'm surprised to find Eclipse inside, leaning over a sink and running his wet hands through his hair.

"You okay?" He asks anxiously, looking up when I enter. He's uneasy near any of the other tributes, not just me. Perhaps we all should be, but I'd rather not think about it as it brings on a whole new wave of anguish.

"Yeah," I lean, leaning up against the wall and struggling to make it look casual. "Are you?"

"I'm fine," He growls, shoving his way past me and out of the bathroom. I sigh in relief and check the stalls. I'm alone. Quickly, I pull a couple of pills out of my pocket. Setting them on the counter, I crush them with the palm of my hand before shorting them up my nose. It's one of my least favorite ways to take the drugs in but it still works. The world transcends to rainbows and panda bears and the room spins around me, all the pain fading.

**Madilynn, Age 13, District 3**

An automated voice comes on over the loud speaker and informs us that lunch has ended. I swallow nervously and place my tray on top of the trash can along with the others. Thaddeus stumbles out of the bathrooms, grinning like a psychopath. He's high again, higher then the ruins of the Eiffel Tower by the looks of it. He practically falls on me and everyone laughs.

"Wow," he says, poking the air behind my head. "It's an angel."

"Thaddeus," I whisper. "We're about to go into the private sessions, what were you thinking?"

"Yeah, Thaddeus," Abby adds, glancing over from where she was talking to Sterling. "You should have been more thoughtful."

"Oh my gosh," he says walking over to Abby and pulling at her hair. She squeaks in pain. "It's a polka dot penguin!"

"Don't touch her," Sterling growls, slapping Thaddeus's hand away from his girlfriend.

"_You_ don't touch _me_, space boy," Thaddeus retorts, stalking off the go ask Velvet where she got her clown shoes. She doesn't look very pleased. I dart over and flash an apologetic smile before guiding Thaddeus away from her. The peacekeepers herd us all into a small room with walls lined with benches. I sit down in between Thaddeus and Oplarran, who just sits there staring in a random direction, not saying anything to anyone. He kind of scares me. I mean, he's huge, he could snap me like a twig. That's not a very nice thing to think about. I watch as the other tributes go one by one into the Training Center alone. I know how important it is not to mess this up.

Finally, it's my turn. I stand up on shaky legs and make my way into the room. The Gamemakers sit watching me with blank expressions and narrowed eyes. I nervously make my way over to the knives station. I pick up several and launch them at targets, hitting each one perfectly. I glance at the Gamemakers and the head, with his ponytail and oversized pink sunglasses, nods at me to continue. I swallow and hurl a few more knives before deciding it's not enough. I'm struck with an idea. Making my way over to the swords station I pick two up and take them back to Knives, throwing them at the targets like they were knives. They hit targets and I smile. I guess this isn't so hard.

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

I bow to the Gamemakers before trotting over to the knives station. I take one in each hand before performing a dramatic series of kicks and punches, fighting the air like there are real enemies there. I know it would look a little childish, like I'm pretending to fight a dragon or something, but just imagine the damage I could cause if I was fighting real people. I rain hell down on my invisible opponents and by the time I'm done feel that they are thoroughly beaten. I glance at the peacekeepers, who are scribbling things down on tiny notepads that I hadn't noticed they had before. Making my way over to the Gauntlet, I race around it in the fastest amount of time that I've ever done before, dodging clubs and leaping nimbly from platform to platform. They dismiss me and I burst with pleasure. I definitely just earned the highest score amongst the other tributes in this year's Hunger Games.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

The electronic voice calls my name and I feel my stomach tie itself up in knots. Wait… I _feel_ something? It's small but it's definitely there. I breathe deeply and stand up, my knees shaking. It's nervousness. I relish it, but as I make my way into the Training Center is quickly disappears and I go back to being an empty shell. Picking up a hatchet, I throw it across the room and watch as it sinks into the head of one of the targets. Pleased with this, I head to the ropes course and climb around there for several minutes. I throw some spears around as well before I'm dismissed. Alone, I head up to my apartment and run through my notes. I have a detailed profile on every one of the tributes. I set to work memorizing them. By the time I get into the arena I will know the greatest strength of all the tributes… and their greatest weakness.

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

I'm let into the Private Sessions and I set to work failing. I can't have the other tributes thinking I'm actually a threat, can I? I purposely fail at my best skills: spear throwing, running the Gauntlet and even shooting with slingshots. They didn't expect much from me when I came into the Training Center on the first day and I haven't given it to them. I haven't let them down but I haven't surprised them either. I'm right in the middle, where I want to be. When I know what I want, I know how to get it. And right now what I want more then anything is to get home.

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

My turn. I step into the large, empty room and make my way over to the archery range immediately. I notch an arrow and let it fly. I hit a perfect target and glance at the Gamemakers hopefully. They aren't even paying attention! They are to busy chatting amongst themselves about what they had for breakfast. What does that even have to do with anything? I cough obnoxiously and see a few of them look up. I load another arrow and it flies straight into the mark, just like it's supposed to. Pride fills me as I look back at the viewing platform. Okay, now they are eating soup. I angrily let seven more arrows find their way into the human-shaped targets and yet no one notices. That is it, I can't take it anymore. I narrow my eyes and finally single out the Head Gamemaker, a disgusting looking man with huge glasses and a ponytail. Oh, how perfect. I'm not really thinking as I let an arrow soar through the air, and I watch without worry as it slices off the Head Gamemaker's ponytail. His mouth drops open when he sees the arrow in the wall and his hair on the floor. His hands shoot up to the back of his head and he feels where a huge chunk of hair used to be. "Screw you," I growl through my teeth, throwing my bow and my quiver onto the floor before stalking out. I bet that made an impression.

**Tanner, Age 17, District 4**

"You did what now?" Vencitiy asks her mouth gaping. She sits cross-legged on my bed, running her hands over her token. It's a chunky locket with a pink _V_ on one side and a pink _4_ on the other. Whenever she opens it the words _may the odds be ever in your favor_ flash and they are whispered softly.

"For my private session I put on a magic show," I repeat for the third time.

"Why on earth would you do that?" She asks, looking frustrated.

"All they want is a show," I reply. "I thought I'd give them one. At first I just pulled coins out of their ears and did my best cards tricks but the further on we got the better my tricks got. Like, at one point I did this really awesome trick where I made the entire camouflage station disappear, and then I also pulled Walley out of a hat, but don't ask what we had to do to pull that one off. And then-"

"Tanner!" She interrupts me.

"What?" I ask, curiously.

"That's nice and all," She says. "But, um… don't you think you should have been more focused on fighting and stuff like that? I mean, that's what the Training Sessions are for."

"Whatever," I grumble. "Just watch, Ven, I'm going to get the highest score out of everyone and then you'll be wanting to know more about my magic tricks."

"If you say so," She sighs, opening her locket and listening intently to its whispers.

"Speaking of magic tricks," I say seductively. "I bet I can make your clothes disappear." She smiles up at me, and that's exactly what I do.

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

"Hunter!" I yell. "The show is coming on!" Hunter darts madly into the room, leaps over the back of the couch and stares at the TV. The announcer is trying to build up suspense, droning on and on about the importance of the scores and how the tributes earned them by practicing in the training center for three days. As always we're being scored on a scale that goes up to twelve, zero being the worst twelve being the best.

Raith comes up first with a score of nine. "That guy is a threat," I hear Hunter murmur under his breath. I study Raith carefully on the screen. Hunter is right, he might not be as big as the other Careers but he certainly is deadly, the loss of his girlfriend in the Games last year only making him more so. Gleam gets a score of nine as well. It doesn't surprise me, the Careers always score high and Gleam is pretty dangerous. I mean, look at the way she's playing Tanner. He's an idiot for not realizing that she's just pretending to like him so that he'll join the Careers instead of allying himself with Ivy and Walley like everyone originally though he was going to do.

Oplarran gets an eight and so does his district partner, Jessamine. I don't know how the Career alliance is going to last this year with Raith wanting to kill Jess for her brother killing his fiancé, and Gleam playing Tanner like he's a musical instrument. It should be a good show for the Capitol audience this year.

Thaddeus gets a zero and I burst out laughing. I wonder what weird things he saw during the Private Sessions while on drugs like that! He thought I was a giant banana… I'm a bit surprised when Madilynn from District Three gets a seven, she doesn't seem like the fighting type. Perhaps I underestimated her.

I laugh so hard I cry when Tanner gets a two. How does a kid from a Career district end up with a two? Vencitiy's face flashes on the screen and she receives a nine. Good for her, I guess, but not really looking good for me. The Careers are going to be a deadly force this year, but that's only if they can manage not to kill each other before they even step into the arena.

Ramona, the girl who curses people out and flicked off the audience during the tribute parade, gets a six. Her district partner gets a four. That's about an average score. Peregrine Keating gets a six, and her district partner, Eclipse, gets a five. The announcer says that Ivy received a six while Walley Silversein got a four. The poor kid doesn't stand a chance. Shame, he has a good sense of humor.

District Eight is up and Sterling gets a three, which doesn't surprise me. He probably rubbed all of the equipment down with Germ-X before touching anything. Velvet gets a ten. A ten? How did she score a ten? Oh right, she's the archery girl that Hunter thinks is a threat yet he keeps complimenting her anyway. He's weird.

Hunter achieves the score of a ten, oh, yay for him! It's my turn! Oh my gosh, I'm going to die of nervousness. My face comes up on screen. Hey, my hair is messed up in this picture! I score a… a… an eight! WAHOO! I run a victory lap around the apartment for both of us since he doesn't want to for whatever reason.

Sky gets a seven and Ryden receives the same. I like Sky, she's got spunk. Her district partner, though, is a little to… to… to something. Something about him gets on my nerves; I'm not entirely sure what it is, though. Oh well.

Dillon, who I'd almost completely forgotten about 'cause he doesn't talk much, earns a six. I'm in shock when Abby gets a seven. No joke, the girlfriend of lint roller boy got a seven! How does this kind of stuff happen? Sterling might last longer in the arena then I guessed he would, now that his girlfriend is intimidating like that. Or maybe now people will go out of their way to attack them, not just because Sterling is a twit but also because his ally is a high-scoring tribute.

Finally District Twelve comes up. Taylor gets a four and Dream received a five. No surprise there, District Twelve never does get any really good tributes. It probably has something to do with the fact that half of their kids starve to death and the other half are almost there.

Well, that's it. The TV cuts off and I can practically feel the anxiety in Hunter. Tomorrow is the interviews and I know from experience that he isn't very good at talking. Well, at least I won't have anything to worry about.

* * *

**Sherman!**


	7. The Interviews

**So, I didn't repost for a few days. I was busy! And quite frankly, this is boring. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a good one. **

* * *

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

Well this is certainly a turn of events. I don't know what on earth my designer was thinking but she's put me in a jet black suit with neon paint splatters. But no, if that wasn't enough, it glows in the dark. She demands that I show it off to the Capitol during the interview, so I guess I'll be glowing like an idiot. We're heading to the interviews now, with me in my stupid paint splatters, and… _wow_… Madilynn looks good. She's in a lapis-lazuli blue double-layered summer dress that shimmers between gold and blue in the light, along with golden high heels and a golden anklet. Her wavy, dark brown hair is put up in a messy clip, strands of hair falling in her face to make her look perfectly imperfect. Tonight she really does look like an angel.

**Sky, Age 15, District 10**

It's my birthday. And do you know what I get to wear to the interview on my birthday? A COW DRESS! I'm not freaking kidding, my designer put my in a cow dress. It has black fur around the collar that's so long it gets in my mouth, with long sleeves that have the same black fur around my wrists. It puffs out at the bottom until I look like I'm puffed up to three times my size. Along with this, I'm wearing a pair of cow ears and my prep team painted my nose black. If I get out of the arena the first thing I'm going to do is talk to President Snow about getting them fired. It should be illegal to dress tributes in outfits this stupid!

"Hey beautiful," Ryden says, in a tuxedo patterned with black and white cow spots but looking undeterred. At least I'm not going to be the only one there with cow ears. "You got a cow costume, too? That's tough."

"You're telling me," I growl as we are lead into a large room. The other tributes are there as well, hanging out and chatting quietly. Most of them look good, and they choke back laughter when I walk in. Some don't even bother trying to hide it and just burst out cackling.

"Screw you," I hiss at Vencitiy who is snickering more then the others. She sneers at me before turning back to her fellow Careers. She's in a skin-tight purple dress with her brown hair racked up into a fancy ponytail with a small braid going down the side of it. Her face has been exaggerated with layers of makeup and she is in six inch purple high heels. Tanner keeps eying her with a naughty look in his eyes. Tanner himself is in a black dress shirt with all the buttons undone to reveal a six pack of abs. He's in black dress pants, black shoes and wears an undone red tie around his neck.

I can't help but wonder what will unfold over the course of the night…

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

I sit in a comfy, deep purple chair watching the other tributes chat and pace back and forth. Thaddeus is ringing his hands obsessively and I wonder why he isn't high right now. Maybe someone nicked his drug stash. That would have been incredibly hard since he probably sleeps with it under his pillow.

"Hello, Hunter," I hear someone say. I turn and find Gleam standing before me with a slight smile on her face. I narrow my eyes. A happy Career is never a good sign. "I have a proposition for you."

"What is it?" I growl, rising to my feet and glaring down at her. She keeps grinning.

"Well," She says happily. "If you haven't noticed the Career Alliance this year is a little… _fragile_... right now. We need reinforcements. So, I've decided that if you join us we will grant immunity to that little friend of yours, Roshan, until the final eight tributes. Until then we won't harm her."

"No," I growl. I can keep Roshan safe; I don't care if they are hunting us down. I turn to leave but Gleam's voice stops me.

"Are you sure?" She asks. I look back at her and find she's still smiling. "It would be such a shame if she had a run-in with one of our patrols and _didn't_ have immunity. A score of eight won't protect her if she runs into Raith or Jess or Vencitiy, even. After all, I thought you cared for the little thing. I guess I was wrong." She spins on her heels and is about to head off.

"Wait," I hiss. She looks over her shoulder curiously. "I'll join… on one condition."

"And what would that be?" She asks, casually leaning against the wall.

"That you grant immunity to Velvet, too."

"The archery girl whose skill matches your own?" I nod. "That's a large price, Hunter boy. She's a threat."

"That's my only offer. Take it or leave it."

"Fine," She sighs. We shake. Her hands are so cold.

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

They call me up first and I walk onto the stage, waving at the audience with a smile. I'm in a long silver gown made of thousands of tiny diamonds that reflect all light that hits them. My hair is up in an intricate do and my makeup has been done to bring out my emerald green eyes.

"Hello, Gleam," Caesar laughs, his hair up in a silver wig. I wish I could tell the moron that it makes him look a hundred years old, but I have to look good for the sponsors.

"Hi, Caesar," I smile. "It's so nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you, too," He says. "Gleam, that golden dress you were wearing in the tribute parade was just stunning. Would you like to tell us about it?"

"Well," I say, making sure that I'm still grinning like there is no place I would rather be, when in fact I would rather be _anywhere_ but here with Caesar Flickerman. I've always hated him, he's so obnoxious. "I was so delighted when my designer brought it out; I'd never seen anything so pretty! Well, obviously I have now. I mean, look at this dress!" I stand and spin around in it a few times, the Capitol audience making noises of awe.

"Yes, yes," Caesar laughs. "It's very beautiful." I sit back down. "Gleam, what kind of a chance do you think you stand at winning the Hunger Games?"

"Well," I say, twirling a strand of my hair around my fingers. "I know I'm going to win."

"You know you're going to win? Why is that?"

"Because I've seen the other tributes train," I reply. The audience gasps as I call out the other twenty-three tributes. "Don't get me wrong, I've made some really good friends like Vencitiy and Jessamine, and I've actually dating one of the other tributes, but looking at the way they fight… I don't think any of them stand a chance. I'm strong, I'm fast, I'm skilled… and they just aren't."

"You don't say…" Caesar says, rubbing his chin. "Gleam, you said that you're dating one of the other tributes, is that correct?"

"Yes,"

"Would you care to tell us which tribute that is?"

"Oh come on Caesar," I say. "I can't tell you everything."

"Sure you can," He laughs. "Am I right, folks?" Cheering sounds from every corner of the audience.

"I think I'll just let him decide whether to tell you or not when he gets up here," I reply with a sly glance towards where the other tributes are standing behind the scenes.

"Alright," He sighs, looking slightly disappointed. "Oh, and it seems that we are out of time. Ladies and gentleman, Gleam Luxton!" Everyone cheers as I head back into the room with the other tributes. I just nailed it.

**Jessamine, Age 18, District 2**

"What the hell was that for?" I demand as Gleam reenters the room that we are all waiting in.

"What was what for?" She asks, sitting in a chair and folding her hands in her lap.

"You just said that we don't stand a chance," I press, looming over her. "Great way to help your fellow Careers."

"Get ready to feel the wrath," I hear Caesar say, making me want to bang my head into a wall. I have never heard anyone say so many horrible puns in one night. "Let me introduce… Raith Delver!" I glance up as Raith strides into his interview in a silver tuxedo with a ruby tie and lapels. I glare back down at Gleam.

"Oh come on, Jess," She says, standing up and resting her hand on my shoulder. I'm in a sleeveless black, lacey dress and a pair of combat boots. I have those black lines under my eyes that football players wear and my hair is done in a messy bun. I look like I'm about to go into battle. "I had to make my self look good for the sponsors and that's the angle my mentor told me to go for."

"Whatever," I mutter, taking a seat to watch Raith's interview. I missed the first few questions but I can still watch the rest.

"So, Raith," Caesar says. "Looking at your training score I'd say you're pretty tough. What are your greatest skills?"

"I'm good with swords," He replies. "And javelins. I'm observant and I'm pretty fast."

"You're pretty fast?" Caesar asks. Raith nods. "Well that should come in handy in the arena. Let me ask you, do you have a girlfriend back home?"

"I used to…" He replies, grinding his teeth. Oh dear god, this is going to end very badly for me, isn't it?

"Used to?" He asked, confused. "Well, what happened?"

"Quartz was killed," Raith growls through his teeth. "In the last Hunger Games when a knife pierced her heart."

"That's unfortunate," He says with a frown. "Well, I'm afraid to say that's all the time we have. Ladies and gentle, give it up for Raith Delver!" Raith stands and heads back into the room, glaring at me as he does. Oh boy. You know who's up next? Me.

"Jessamine, welcome," Caesar says, shaking my hand as I sit down in the chair.

"Call me Jess," I tell him.

"Okay, Jess," He nods. "Raith was just out here and talking about how Quartz was killed in last year's Hunger Games. I think it is very interesting that you are both here this year, considering, Jess, that it was your _brother_ who put a dagger in that girl's heart, wasn't it?"

"Yes," I nod. The audience gasps. Oh no, drama, what will we do?

"And how do you feel about being in the Hunger Games with the fiancé of a girl that your brother killed last year?"

"Um…" I say, rubbing my neck. I did not see that one coming. "I feel really bad about what happened with Cameron and Quartz, but it wasn't my fault. He's the one who killed her, not me. And… it wasn't his fault, either. He just wanted to come home, all of the tributes did. And if he wanted to do that then he had to kill someone, one way or another. Quartz killed people in her Games, too. If this situation was different and one of the relatives of the tribute that Quartz killed was here instead of me then Raith would be the one getting the interrogation right now. What I mean is that all the tributes have family and when you hurt them it isn't just _them_ that you're hurting, it's their family and their friends, too. There is no way to avoid that. We're all going to do some things in the arena that we won't be proud of, it's just a matter of time. I don't think it's fair to hold it against someone when they are just doing the same thing that everyone else is, the only difference being that you're the one that got hurt."

"Very true, indeed," Caesar nods solemnly. Changing the mood, he brightens up. "You look very warlike tonight, Jess, like you are about to go into battle. Do you think that outfit your stylist put you in really stands for anything?"

"Well, probably the fact that I'm actually about to go into battle tomorrow," I chuckle. "But I think it's more then that, too. I think… it really kind of brings out this part of me, the part of me that's going to keep fighting no matter what happens. I've always been a strong person; I just think that this outfit really tells people that."

"Thank for your time, Jess," He says, standing up and showing me to the audience once more. "Jessamine Mason, everyone!"

**Madilynn, Age 13, District 3**

Oplarran comes out in a loose-fitting black T-shirt and a pair of black jeans. He smiles quietly and sits down, answering the questions with what seem to be honest answers. He talks about how much he misses his little half-sister, Sabrie, and how sad he was when he had to leave her.

"Sabrie," He says looking into the camera with tears in his eyes. "I have never felt any emotion stronger then how much I miss you now… and I promise that I'm going to come back to you, no matter what it takes." The audience is going crazy over that. Wow, that was some moving stuff. Oplarran makes his way back into the room with the other tributes, Gleam looking pretty angry that he just stole her spotlight. Oh god, I'm next. I make my way onto the stage and practically faint at the size of the crowd. I'm shaking and my palms are sweaty. I sit down and brace myself for the next few minutes.

"Madilynn," Caesar begins. "I'm sure you heard Oplarran talking about his sister. What do you… what do you think about that?"

"Well," I say shakily, swallowing hard. They are all staring at me… all of them… "I think it's... it's… really sad that he had to leave her… but we all have family that we l-left behind when we came and I don't think it's f-fair for him to get all the attention just because he made it seem s-sadder."

"I see your point," He nods. "You said you all left people behind. Madilynn, who did you leave behind when you came here to the Capitol?"

"My best friends, Hana and Lina," I say. "They almost volunteered for me, but I told them not to. I… I didn't want to see them getting hurt. I mean, better m-me then them, right?"

"What about family?"

"I don't have much," I say honestly. "Just my dad but um… we don't get along very well."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes,"

"How unfortunate," The rest of the interview goes on like this, Caesar asking questions and trying to help me win sponsors and me stuttering and answering them pathetically. I'm so relieved when I finally stand up and leave. I watch as Thaddeus walks onto the stage a pale look on his face. I may have snuck into his home last night and stolen all his drugs. Look, I didn't want him to go into the interviews high. I thought that the world needed to finally see him as he really is. "Hello Thaddeus how are you today?"

"I'm good," He says quietly, staring at his feet.

"That's a very interesting outfit," Caesar notices. "Don't you agree, folks?" Everyone cheers and I can tell that Caesar is trying to warm them up to him. Hey, maybe he'll actually get some sponsors.

"Thank you," he whispers. "It actually, um… glows in the dark…"

"Does it really?" Caesar asks. He glances offstage. "Can someone get the lights?" The lights flickered off and Thaddeus' outfit instantly lights up, the neon paint splatters luminescent in the darkness. Everyone gasps. I don't like it that much but the Capitol audience definitely does. The lights turn back on. "Wow that certainly was something! Thaddeus, did you leave behind any family or friends?"

"No"

"None at all?" Caesar asks. Thaddeus shakes his head. "Whatever happened to you family?"

"They died," He says, his voice shaking. "In a fire two years ago. I wasn't in the house and I'm the only one that didn't burn down… I should have died with them that night. I shouldn't be alive… I don't deserve to be alive." At this point he's shaking badly and tears have welled up in his eyes. Without getting dismissed he rises to his feet and races off the stage. I can see tears racing down his face as he runs past me, towards the bathroom. I follow him into the boy's bathroom and find him sobbing quietly, leaning over a sink.

"Thaddeus…" I say slowly walking up behind him.

"It's just not fair," He whispers. "Why did they have to die… and why did I have to live? I'm the one who deserves to die, they all should have lived! I should have burned down with them."

"I know how you feel," I whisper, stepping up beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder. He doesn't look up and I can feel him trembling. "My mother abandoned me to live with my father and my sister when I was five. Two years ago he threw my sister across the room and her head split open when she hit the wall. She died on contact." Tears are falling from my eyes now. "I know _exactly_ how you feel." Thaddeus slowly raises his head and turns towards me. I find myself wrapped up in his embrace and get lost in his warmth.

**Tanner, Age 17, District 4**

Citiy goes on and acts exactly like everyone expects her to. "Hello, Vencitiy," Caesar says. "Welcome! I'd _first_ like to ask you how you feel about Gleam's accusations, especially when she received the same score that you did?"

"Honestly, Caesar," Ven answers, flipping her gorgeous brown hair. "I'm pretty insulted, especially since I can do anything that she can do _better_." The crowd gasps. "I mean, I'm her friend and all and I like her, but its ridiculous that she is says all this crap. And that's all it is, it's just crap, none of it is true."

"I see," Caesar says, rubbing his chin. "So, then, would you say that there is a rivalry between you and Gleam?"

"You could say that," She nods. "But I think its more like a friendly rivalry then us being enemies or anything… you know, like a healthy competition between friends." I kind of zone out for the rest of it because its just about how good she thinks she going to do in the Games and her outfits and all that.

"Now let me introduce our tannest tribute," Caesar says when Vencitiy gets up. "Tanner Trav!" I put on a crooked smile and jog onto the stage, waving at the crowd as I go. I shake hands with Caesar and sit in the plush chair next to his.

"It's nice to be here," I say with a smile.

"It's nice to have you," Caesar chuckles. "Tanner, how do you like it here in the Capitol?"

"It's nice, you know," I say. "Very, um, well, definitely very colorful." Some people in the audience laugh and my mentor, who is sitting in the crowd, gives me thumbs up. "Caesar would you like to see a magic trick?"

"Um, sure," He smiles politely. I pull out my deck and shuffle it dramatically; at one point flipping cards over my head and having them land in my other hand. Caesar picks a card and I pretend to pull it out from behind his ear. The audience claps loudly. It's a simple trick, really, but for whatever reason the Capitol seems pretty impressed. Taking a handkerchief from Caesar's pocket, which I stole about thirty seconds ago but no one noticed, I wrap my deck in it and make it 'disappear'. I spin around in the chair and when I come back around I pull a dove out of the handkerchief and it flies into the audience. I pretend to find the deck in Caesar's wig. "Wow, that certainly was something," he laughs, fixing his fake hair.

"Thanks," I smile charmingly.

"Well," Caesar says. "It's just about time for you to go, Tanner. Is there anything you'd like to say before you do?"

"Yes actually," I say. Everyone freezes. No one expected me to say that. I let the suspense build up for a few moments and can't help but smile at the look of excitement on everyone's face. "I'm the one dating Gleam." Everyone takes a sharp intake of breath and Caesar looks like he is about to say something when the buzzer rings. I can't express in words the look of disappointment on everyone's faces. I wave to the audience and trot off stage. I'm proud of myself, I left them wanting more.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

District Five is just as I expected. Ramona becomes the first tribute to ever get kicked out of her interview when she curses out the audience and then flicks off Caesar before coming back in the room with the rest of us to eat a bag of nachos. Elias goes on and talks about how angry he is to be here. I wish I could feel anger like he does. I come up next and sit in the chair, my expression blank. My mentor told me to try and appear good to the sponsors, but I'm just not good at getting people to like me. In fact, most people hate me so this should go pretty badly.

"Peregrine," Caesar says. "That's a very interesting name. Is there any special reason that your parents named you that?"

"No," I reply honestly.

"Oh," Caesar says, scratching his chin. "Well, do you have any family back home?"

"Yes,"

"Would you like to tell us about them?"

"Not really," I can hear muffled murmuring coming from the crowd. It was just my honest opinion; I don't get what they are so frustrated. I'm in an off the shoulder blue dress that matches the white-blue shade of my eyes.

"Okay… you're eyes are very pretty."

"Thank you," I'm not very good with conversations.

"Peregrine," Caesar says slowly. "What kind of a chance do you think you have at winning the Hunger Games?"

"One out of twenty-four," The audience laughs. Why are they laughing?

"That's not exactly what I meant…"

"What did you mean?"

"I mean…" He begins. "What skills do you have that will help you win the Games? Looking at the fact that you scored a six I know you must have _some_ skills, surely."

"Yes," I say. "I'm very good with hatchets and I don't have any qualms about killing. I'm stronger then I look and I'm pretty fast."

"Wait, you said that you have no qualms with killing, correct?" I nod. "Why ever is that? Tributes are usually very finicky about killing, why is it that you differ from them, Peregrine?" This is the question that I have been asked my entire life: why are you different, Peregrine? Why can't you feel anything, Peregrine? Do you have mental problems, Peregrine? Does this hurt, Peregrine? No, I am sick of those questions and as I open my mouth to speak I feel a burning in my heart.

"I don't think that death is anything to be afraid of," I hiss. Suddenly, the flame is extinguished and it is replaced by a feeling of emptiness. "And I feel no emotion." The audience gaps up at me in surprise.

"Nothing at all?"

"Well, almost always," I say honestly. "The reason I volunteered for the Hunger Games was because I wanted to feel something. When I volunteered I felt nervousness and before the private sessions I experienced anxiety. Just now I experienced anger."

"Well that certainly is interesting. Are you afraid that you are going to die in the Hunger Games?"

"I feel no fear,"

"Okay, well what if you did?"

"Well…" I say thoughtfully. It's hard for me to have opinions when I don't have any emotions. "I figure that death is just going to be my final test to see if… if I really am a human being or just a faulty copy of one." Caesar dismisses me and I step offstage. I think the audience is happy to see me go and I feel something sink in my stomach. It only lasts for a few seconds and I savor it; that's longer then any of my other emotions ever stick around for. It takes me a minute of deep thought before I recognize it: disappointment.

I watch Eclipse go on stage with interest. Perhaps he will surprise me and I'll feel shocked. But that is unlikely. Caesar greets him and they sit down to have what seems to be a regular interview, Caesar asking questions and Eclipse answering them honestly. He talks about his parents and what it's like back in District Six. He says he's pretty good with a sword and a spear, and shows the audience the photograph of his dead dog but nothing out of the ordinary happens. He makes his way back into the room and Ivy goes up, a bubbly expression on her face. In a blue ball gown she looks fancy and proper.

"Hi Caesar," She says, sitting down with a polite smile. "How are you today?"

"Oh, I'm good, thank you for asking," He replies. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," She says. "Well, actually I'm a bit nervous."

"Why is that?"

"Well, Caesar lets think about that. Tomorrow I'm going to be flown into an arena to fight to the death with twenty-four other tributes and I probably won't make it out. I don't know, why do _you_ think I'm nervous?" She says it all with a playful grin and everyone laughs. Well, except me of course; I don't get it.

"Alright, very funny," Caesar chuckles. "Who did you leave behind when you were reaped in District Seven?"

"My little sisters, Amber and Anna," She says instantly. "And my mother. My older brother, Dale, doesn't live with us anymore since he got married but I still miss him. My best friend Laurel, she's the greatest friend a person could ask for. And last but not least I miss my boyfriend, Heath."

"Oh, you have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah… I miss him _so_ much. We grew up together. We used to go with my father to the lumber yards and play with wooden swords while they worked. We'd pretend that the district was being attacked by a dragon and we were the only ones who could protect it!" She laughs. Why can't I be like that?

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

I congratulate Ivy as she trots off stage and do a few squat-thrusts to get myself ready. I remind myself of my angle and slip a small band around my hand. Racing onto the stage, I walk up to shake Caesar's hand and when I touch him he yelps and his wig stands on end. I laugh and pull the shocking device off my hand and show it to the crowd with a crooked grin. This should be easy enough.

"Walley, welcome," Caesar says, a little annoyed that I messed up his wig. "It's such a _delight_ to have you here,"

"It's a delight to be eating you here," I say then correct myself. "I mean meeting you here. Did you know that the tributes have an entire snack table back there? I never knew that! There are doughnuts and chocolate chip muffins and hot dogs and pie…"

"Okay, yes I did know this," Caesar nods. "That was quite a stunt you pulled at the Reaping, pouring that barrel of rotten milk on your escort. Would you like to tell us about it?"

"Not really," I say, mocking Peregrine's blank expression. "Just kidding! Um… we had to get the vat up there during the night so no one would see us and it took ages because it was so heavy."

"I can only imagine…" Caesar nods.

"Yeah," I continue. "And you wouldn't believe how hard it was to actually tip it over the side without dropping it because, you know, I didn't want to actually hurt someone… that would be bad."

"Clearly,"

"So, yeah, it was really hard," I say. "But it was so worth it! Did you see her face? It was hilarious! And did you see everyone else? They were all, like, 'oh my god, rotten milk is raining down from the sky!' It was so funny."

"Indeed," Caesar chuckles. "Walley, in the private session you received a four. Why did this happen?"

"It's all part of my evil plot," I say, rubbing my hands together. The audience laughs. I did this on purpose; because I said that the other tributes would never think that I'd actually have a plot. To them I'm a simple-minded fourteen-year-old. "No, I um… I don't know, I guess I just kind of got nervous…" Some of the old ladies in the crowd do that _awww_ thing and I try to look embarrassed which is hard for me to do.

"What a shame," Caesar says but not really meaning it. "And to think you could have done so much better. It seems we are out of time… ladies and gentleman… Walley Silversein!"

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

I step onstage in a tight black dress with hint of green on the edges and near the seams. My makeup has been done very darkly and my raven hair has been drawn back into a tight braid. I stalk up to Caesar on silent feet and shake his hand.

"Welcome," he says. "Velvet, welcome. That's an interesting name, is there a story behind it?"

"Well," I begin. I hate this. "When my parents lived in District Ten they always wanted a fabric shop. So they named their first kid, my older brother, Silk. Then came me who they named Velvet. I also have a little sister named Cashmere and a younger brother who they named Satin." I don't get why everyone thinks that's so funny. Did you know laughing is just irregular breathing? It's disgusting.

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

Velvet goes off and Sterling goes up. He just gave me a honey-bun scented candle and some soap that he made himself. It also smells like honey-buns. I asked him why and he said it was because I'm _his_ honey-bun! Okay, that's probably one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me. Like, seriously, I just died of happiness. Well maybe not _seriously_ but I'm really happy right now.

"Sterling," Caesar begins. He makes Caesar rub his hand down with Germ-x before he shakes his hand… not the good start I was hoping for. "Your family is very rich, indeed. How did this come to be?"

"I don't know," Sterling shrugs, rubbing himself over with Sherman the Lint Roller. He's in a pair of kaki pants, a blue dress shirt, and a green plaid sweater vest. I'm sure his designer had a good laugh over that. "But I'm a direct descendant of Paris Hilton."

"But then shouldn't your last name be Hilton?"

"What?"

"Shouldn't your last name be Hilton?"

"No, because she changed her last name to Sniveley when she got married."

"Oh… Sterling I think we'd all like to know if you have an arranged marriage planned, like your mother did." Wow, I did _not_ know that.

"No, no," Sterling smiles slightly. "I have a girlfriend."

"And who would that be?"

"Abrielle Maddox," He replies and I beam. He called me his girlfriend! Gasps resonate through rows of Capitol citizens. "But she prefers to be called Abby. She's the tribute from District Eleven with the gorgeous golden hair that cascades past her shoulder and piercing blue eyes that sparkle in the light and that you feel can see into the very heart of your soul." Oh my god…

"Well, I'm sure she's something," Oh my god… "Thanks for coming out, Sterling."

"Your welcome Caesar," Oh my god…

Oh my god…

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

Well, Sterling's interview certainly was something. Oh well, no time to think about that, it's my turn! I bound onto the stage in a fluttery white dress that goes down to my knees. I wear a fake koala fur cardigan and a pair of boots made from the same material. Along with this, I have a pearl bracelet and a white headband with a white bow on it. No, not like the archery bow but like a _bow_ bow. My hair is loosely curled and I've been told to appear innocent.

"Hi, Caesar," I giggle as I shake hands with him. "It's so nice to meet you!"

"It's nice to meet you, too," He smiles, happy that he actually gets a normal tribute. "That was an interesting costume you wore in the tribute parade."

"Thank you," I smile. "Everyone always says I'm very cat-like so my designer kind of took that idea and ran with it."

"I see," he nods. "You received an eight from the Gamemakers, correct?"

"Yes,"

"What do you think this means for your chances of winning the Hunger Games?"

"Well," I say slowly. "I think it's a good thing, you know? A high score is really good and I know the sponsors love it," I give a little girly wave to the audience where I flutter my fingers and slightly tilt my head to the side. "But I guess it could also be a bad thing, making me look like more of a threat then I am…"

"Yes, I completely agree," Caesar nods. When I get dismissed I bounce back to the room with the other tributes and watch Hunter make his way onto the stage. Caesar welcomes him. Hunter is in a costume that reminds me an awful lot of Robin Hood, with a dark green hoodie, a black belt, dark green skinny jeans, black combat boots and black sunglasses. "Hunter, have you noticed any alliances forming between tributes? With all the romance I'd assume there are some."

"They are everywhere," he replies with a blank expression. His angle is supposed to be serious and deadly. He's pulling it off pretty good so far.

"Do you have an alliance?" Caesar asks when Hunter doesn't continue.

"Yes," Hunter growls.

"With whom?"

"That would be spoiling the surprise," Hunter says seriously.

"Alright," Caesar clears his throat and straightens his tie. "Well, Hunter, you received a score of ten, that's very impressive. In fact, you tied with Velvet for the highest score out of all the tributes. Do you think you deserve that score?"

"Definitely," Hunter nods.

"What do you think of Velvet?"

Hunter hesitates. "She's… impressive."

"Would you consider her a threat?" Caesar asks.

"Everyone is a threat," he replies simply.

"Even to a high-scoring tribute such as yourself?"

"Yes," Hunter states. "They cannot be underestimated."

**Ryden, Age 18, District 10**

"Good luck, Sky," I whisper to her as she steps away from my embrace and onto the stage. She looks back at me before going to meet Caesar. They shake hands and the whole thing runs pretty smoothly, Sky actually talking about the garden I made her room into. She says how sweet it was and how touched she is.

"So Sky," Caesar says. "Would you consider you and Ryden an alliance?"

"Um…" She spits some of the black fur from the cow dress out of her mouth and rubs her neck. "I'm not really sure…" Caesar changes the subject and talks about how it is her birthday. He gets the entire audience to sing Happy Birthday to her and I don't think she's very happy about it but she pretends to be.

"See," I say when she comes back. "That wasn't so bad."

"Yes it was," She replies simply, going to sit in a chair. I straighten out my cow tuxedo and race onto the stage. After shaking hands with Caesar I sit and we get down to the interview.

"What pushed you to make Sky's bedroom into her own private garden?"

"Well," I say slowly. "She always seems to sad all of the time. I just wanted to see her smile for once."

"How sweet," Caesar nods. "Sky said she wasn't sure whether you two are in an alliance or not. Ryden, what do _you_ think?"

"I think it's not really decided," I answer. "We haven't really talked about it."

"You two do know that the Hunger Games are _tomorrow_, right?"

"Yeah," I chuckle. "I guess it just hasn't really sunk in yet."

**Dillon, Age 14, District 11**

Abby does great in her interview, talking about how much she likes Sterling and how nervous she is about the Games. She must have won over tons of sponsors. When she returns everyone is giving her dirty looks, except for Sterling, because they are so jealous of how well she did. Sterling gives her a huge kiss and everyone rolls their eyes.

"You did great," He smiles. He's lucky to have a girl like Abby. I'm in a dark brown suit made of silk with a black shirt and vest underneath. As Caesar calls my name I make my way out onto the stage. I know how important it is to win over sponsors and that's why I feel so nervous right now. My knees are shaking and my palms are sweating. I shake hands with Caesar and he looks a little disgusted.

I'd rather not think about this next part. All in all, I fail miserably. I stutter the entire time and am sweating buckets when I finally just pass out and a medic has to come in and revive me while Dream from District Twelve goes on. She does well, or at least she does well in the part that I see, talking about how smart she is and 'how idiotic the other tributes are for focusing so much on brute strength and physical ability instead of mental capability' or that's what she says. Taylor goes on with his laid-back attitude and wins over the crowd when he walks onstage drinking orange juice out of a coconut with a mini umbrella in it. Caesar talks the show out and that's about when I loose consciousness again.


	8. Let the Games Begin

**Oh. My. God. This is the second time I've posted the Bloodbath, and I still feel so sentimental about it! It's probably because I loved this story and all of it's characters so much! Okay, I'm not going to lie, I'm just going to say that I don't have time to retype those little guides I originally put at the bottom of the chapter for who died, who is allied and who is where in the arena. Sorryz! Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Dream, Age 16, District 12**

At least one sixth of us are going to die today. I wake up early at seven AM and put on a pair of jeans and a grey long-sleeve shirt. It won't matter what we wear on the way to the arena, we will just change into the uniform later when we arrive under it. I brush my hair and my teeth before settling back down on my bed and opening a book one of the Avoxes gave me, trying to distract myself from the thought of what is to come. Although I wouldn't mind if someone like Ramona or Thaddeus died, I hope that the more intelligent people like Ivy or Eclipse make it through the bloodbath so that I actually have a challenge. I know I'm going to win, no one's intelligence matches my own; I just want it to be interesting for me at least. Imagine me going up against someone like Walley; it would be so boring and easy for me to win against him.

"Dream," I hear someone outside my door say. Taylor sticks his head in, sipping out of a coconut again. Ugh, what an idiot. "It's time."

**Dillon, Age 14, District 11**

Oh my god, the Hunger Games are today. OH MY GOD THE HUNGER GAMES ARE TODAY! And I'm a tribute! AH! I start hyperventilating and Abby goes and gets me a paper bag that I stick over my mouth. I calm down a bit, but just enough to remember that I'm a tribute in the Hunger Games, which take place today, and I pass out.

I wake up with my head in Abby's lap and a warm washcloth on my face. We're on the couch and she sits with her legs crisscross-applesauce and her eyes on the TV.

"We are looking at clear skies all day today," A woman on the screen says. "The perfect day to watch the beginning of the Hunger Games. Yes, that's right folks, today is the day that this year's Hunger Games premiers. Crowds upon crowds of Capitol citizens are already lining the streets, fighting to get the best spot to watch the Hunger Games." The TV flicks to live video feed of a huge mass of colorful people below gigantic flat screens that are flashing pictures of tributes and information about them, like their weight and what they ate for breakfast, which seems pointless to me but apparently holds a lot of importance to sponsors and gamblers.

"They are all there to watch us die," I whisper in horror.

"They aren't going to get the chance to see Sterling die…" I hear Abby say under her breath so softly that I barely pick it up.

"What'd you say?" I ask to make sure I heard her right.

"Nothing," She says quickly. "How are you?"

"Okay, I guess," I mutter.

"Good," Abby says gently. "Because its time."

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I have time to flip through my notes once more before we have to go to the roof. I have the entire thing memorized, I'm positive of this. I know each and every tribute inside out, their every strength and their every weakness. And I know who I will kill first. It will be Oplarran. He is the Career's rock, the only sane one keeping the boat afloat. If he goes, the sanity goes with him. Raith and Jessamine would do away with each other while Gleam and Vencitiy would wear themselves out fighting over Tanner. That's when I would strike and they would be defenseless and caught by surprise. Yes, the Careers are the biggest threat and I need to take them out immediately.

"It's time," I hear Eclipse say from out in the hall. I rise to my feet. I'm ready.

**Madilynn, Age 13, District 3**

I couldn't take the look of agonizing pain constantly on Thaddeus' face, so last night I stuck back into his room and slipped the drugs back into their original location. Now, as we wait on the rooftop, I'm regretting this. He's high again, and keeps calling me an angel and asking why our prep teams are suddenly giant iguanas. I may have just doomed him… but at least he's happy.

The hovercraft sends ladders down to the roof and the second I step on I'm frozen; I can't move my own body. I panic as we are raised into the hovercraft and try frantically to move. A woman with a huge needle comes over and injects what she says is 'the tracker' into my arm. Finally I'm free to move. I'm lead to a room where all of the tributes sit in two rows that are facing each other. No one really says anything, almost everyone just looking at their feet, except for the Careers who are taking their last opportunity to size everyone up before the Games.

"Hey!" Thaddeus yells coming up behind me. "Why all the long faces, polka dot penguins?" Then, he holds his arms out and makes airplane noises while running around in circles. I sigh and take a seat as far away from the other tributes as I can get. Thaddeus is still running around when I grab his arm and pull him into the seat next to me.

"Thaddeus," I whisper. "Calm down."

"Sup' angel?" he asks with a crooked smile and his eyes cross-eyed. He bursts out singing, "_We're off the see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!_" This is making me look incredibly bad.

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

As we near the arena, the windows grow dark and the hovercraft gets so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Even Thaddeus shuts up, but that's mostly just because Madilynn said she'd hug him if he was quiet all the way to the arena. Dillon is shaking so hard that I wonder if he's going to just fall over and die, while Abby and Sterling have been whispering about their strategy—I can hear this because they are right next to me—and Tanner has been looking at both Gleam and Vencitiy with lust in his eyes.

We are taken under the arena and I am lead to my own private room. I slide into my uniform and examine my reflection. I'm in grey pants, white fur-lined boots, grey long-sleeve shirt, and a white fur-lined hoodie. I look like an Eskimo. Obviously the arena is going to be extremely cold and there would have to be snow for this uniform to blend into the environment. That's just great. I hate the cold.

A voice overhead tells me that I have thirty seconds to get on my metal plate. I take a deep breath and step forward. I take one look back at the small room, my clothes sitting on a metal table and a security camera in the far top-right corner. My hand strays to my neck and my fingers wrap around my locket, the same locket that Damper wore into her Hunger Games. The glass cylinder falls around me and my world goes silent. Suddenly, we move upward into the sunlight and I'm temporarily blinded. When my vision returns I find myself standing in a courtyard overrun with weeds, all twenty-four tributes standing an equal distance away from the cornucopia, a large golden metal structure piled high with equipment. A huge mansion towers to my right, vines creeping up its walls and into its shattered windows. Many of the top floors have already crumbled or are in the process of doing so, making me wonder just how big this building originally was. We are surrounded by a vast snow-covered forest, bushes rustling and a harsh wind whipping through the evergreens. I shiver in the frigid air and notice that my breath is visible.

I see them with only ten seconds left on the clock: a pile of bows and full quivers just sitting their right in the mouth of the cornucopia. I need to go to one of those bows; my life could depend on it. So, as time ticks away, I ready myself, positioned to head straight for the cornucopia.

_Three…_

_Two…_

_One…_

_Zero!_

I burst off my metal plate in a full out sprint. Walley, much to my dismay, is the first one to reach the cornucopia, quickly followed by Ramona. Me next. I throw myself at an oak-wood bow and sling its matching quiver over my shoulder. I spin around and find a spear heading straight at my head. I barely dodge it and find Ramona racing at me, a dagger clutched in her fist. Without thinking I shoot an arrow into her head and she falls to the ground.

I need to get out. I wrench the dagger from Ramona's lifeless hand and leap over her dead body. I run for a few feet before barely dodging a sword that had been aimed straight at my neck. I turn on my heels to find Eclipse diving at me again, a long, curved sword clutched in each hand. I don't move fast enough and it slices a long scratch on my side but it doesn't cut deep. I loose another arrow and because of the fact that I'm shooting and trying to avoid being cut in half at the same time, my arrow just grazes his forehead. He comes at me again and this time I meet his sword with my dagger, but I forget about the other one. It slices open my right hip and I tumble to the ground, blood pouring out of the wound.

**Elias, Age 18, District 5**

I grab a box of fish hooks, pull three out and hurl them at Ivy, who is coming up behind me. They sink into her neck and she falls to the ground, clutching at her throat and choking on her own blood. I grab a trident as well and race off heading for the woods but something sharp stabs my left calf and I plummet to the stone floor of the courtyard. Yanking a curved dagger out of my leg I roll onto my back to see Vencitiy quickly approaching, wearing a belt lined with knives of all sorts. I push myself to my feet but with my leg slicked with blood and my energy draining away because of it, it would be impossible to move fast enough to stop what comes next. I look down in shock to see my guts drop to the ground and I fall over in a pool of my own blood and intestines.

**Abby, Age 14, District 11**

I know Sterling told me not to go into the bloodbath, but I had to. If we don't get weapons and survival gear we are going to die. It's for our own good. I'm at the cornucopia now and I yank two spears out of the pile before I feel someone crash into me. Their fist sinks into my gut and knocks the wind out of me. I'm just regaining my breath when they punch me hard in the face. I see Oplarran towering over me, his hulking frame outline by the cold sun. Sterling comes out of nowhere, pushing Oplarran to the ground and giving us a long enough chance to escape. We head towards the mansion and are turning around a blind corner when we come face to face with another tribute. Sterling doesn't even hesitate to thrust his spear deep into Dillon's stomach.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

It would be irrational to go into the bloodbath. The second the clock hits zero I turn on my heels and burst through the front doors of the mansion. I emerge in a huge, dark entryway with a dome ceiling and curved walls, two staircases leading up to the second floor and a dusty chandelier hanging from the roof. Dirt and snow cover the glass ceiling, letting the room be lit by the dim light that streams in through the fractured windows. I turn up the stairs, walk down a long hallway and choose a door at random. I throw it open and step inside to find that the floor falls away the second my foot makes contact with it. I'm about to plummet down with it but my hand catching the door handle and I pull myself back up into the hallway. Looking down, I find the floor dropped all the way to the basement. A fall like that would have killed me. It seems that there is more to this mansion then meets the eye.

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

I dart past the squabbling tributes, head straight into the cornucopia and admire the weapons lining the walls. Choosing carefully, I pick up a long silver sword with a blade so sharp I cut my finger just by touching it. With a grin I slid its sheath onto my belt and emerge from the cornucopia, lashing out at any tributes that dare come by me.

"I thought we were friends," I hear someone say on the edges of the battle. Since I'm currently unoccupied, I glance over in that direction to see Tanner wielding a trident over his head with Walley pinned to the ground under him. The look of terror on the fourteen-year-old's face is priceless. I wish I could take a picture.

"There are no friends here," Tanner says before driving the trident into Walley and rising to chase after Ryden and Sky who are making a mad dash towards the woods. The marvelous sound of screams fills my ears. Of course, I refer to them as the 'calls of the screwed.'

I unfold a chair and sit down in it to watch the scene play out. It looks like it's going to be a very exciting for the audiences in the districts and the Capitol. Dream has Madilynn pinned to the ground and slashes her throat just as Thaddeus—whose drugs seem to have worn off—looks up from where he was trying to scavenge weapons. "My angel…" he murmurs from where he crouched by a pile of supplies. His eyes fill with rage and he launches himself at Dream, taking her by surprise and causing her to drop her knife. He immediately has her in his clutches and wastes no time slamming her head into the ground. He does it again and again, even long after her eyes have closed and all sign of life has faded from her limp body. It seems that Dream found out the hard way that knowledge won't help you when sanity has lost its meaning.

**Sterling, Age 16, District 8**

I watch in horror as Dillon falls to the ground, his eyes wide in shock and blood dripping out of his mouth. "Keep running," I tell Abby, not taking my eyes off the horrifying scene. I did this.

"but-" she tries to argue.

"Abby, please," I beg. "Keep running." She opens her mouth to say someone but decides against it and racing away. I crouch beside Dillon and watch as his body shakes and his face goes pale. He opens his mouth and looks like he's trying to say something. I lean in closer until my ear is right above his mouth.

"Be good to her," he breaths. I look back at him and nod. He smiles just before his eyes close one last time. I lay his head gently on the ground and pull my spear out of his body before going after Abby.

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

Tanner has really bad aim. The trident only pierced my shoulder. I fight hard not to scream in pain as I drag myself to my feet and pull a backpack and a slingshot out of a mound of supplies before running off into the woods. My shoulder hurts like nothing that I have ever felt before and I'm forced to stop within minutes. I don't feel comfortable here, but I have to bandage up my shoulder, otherwise I'm dead. I rip off my jacket and my shirt, leaving my chest bare. I examine the injury. The shoulder flesh has been pierced in three different places and the skin is ripped and pieces are dangling off my body. It's spewing blood and my shoulder has been stained red. Desperate to stop the blood flow, I hurriedly tear through the contents of my backpack and sigh with relief when I pull out a small roll of bandages. I quickly wrap the wound before throwing my shirt and jacket back on and forcing myself to keep walking. I need to put as much distance between me and the cornucopia as I can.

As I walk I try hard to cover my tracks by walking on rocks and roots when they are available. The trees grow thicker the further away from the mansion I get and birds sing in the trees. I begin to hear the sound of water and search around before I find a small stream, its banks made up of smooth stones. I decide that it's as good a place as any and make camp there, going through my backpack thoroughly for the first time. I have the roll of bandages, an empty bottle that I fill with water from the stream, some nylon rope, some black duct tape, my slingshot and the backpack itself. A lone wolf howls somewhere in the distance and I can't help but feel its pain. It's all alone, just like I am.

I can't believe Tanner did that to me. I thought that he'd be merciful for me, just give me a break and let me escape. I mean, I even helped him with his private session! Sure, he just pulled me out of a hat and it only earned him a two… but it was practically impossible to pull off that trick! His head is just too full of fantasies of Vencitiy… or Gleam… or both…

**Abby, Age 14, District 11**

It was Sterling's idea to stay close to the mansion so that we can keep an eye on the Careers. He's right; we don't want them to catch us by surprise one day. We've found the perfect spot as well, a small cave hidden by an overhanging bush that we agree to name Sylvester. He completely conceals the cave and the only reason we found it was because when Sterling was complaining about all the dirt and nature he tripped over a rock and fell right into it. The cave sits on a ridge overlooking the courtyard and if we part the vines we can see everything happening.

Apparently Hunter has joined the Careers, because he is with them in the courtyard and they aren't attacking him. Huh, I thought he was going to be an alliance with Roshan and maybe even Velvet. I guess I was wrong.

I lay in the warm cave protected from the bitter winds by its own walls with my head in Sterling's lap. He is sitting with his back pressed against the wall of the cave. He looks down at me lovingly, caressing my face softly with a gentle smile on his face. I stare up into his sparkling green eyes and he stares back into mine. I sit up when I hear a cannon sound. The Gamemakers are going to fire cannons for all of the tributes who died in the bloodbath. Carefully, making sure not to miss any I count six tributes dead. I do the math in my head and find that that's one fourth of the tributes already gone.

**Jessamine, Age 18, District 2**

"So…" I say slowly when the cannons end, taking a bite of an apple. I sit in a foldable chair next to Oplarran who is holding a teddy bear for whatever reason. Where did he even get that? Gleam is pacing back and forth with a blank expression on her face while Vencitiy sits in Tanner's lap and they kiss passionately. Raith is going through the mountains of supplies, claiming he's looking for things we'll need. Hunter sits a little ways away on a large rock, admiring his crossbow with narrowed eyes. I'm still not quite sure why Gleam invited him, especially without even mentioning the idea to us first. Actually, she does everything without mentioning it to us first and its really getting on my nerves. "What do ya wanna do?" Oplarran shrugs while Hunter and Gleam don't even respond. Vencitiy and Tanner pause long enough to say they're enjoying what they're doing before going back to kissing.

"Let's go hunting," Raith says. I turn to look at him with surprise in my eyes.

"What do you mean?" Oplarran asks, leaning forward. "We have plenty of food." Instantly we all understand that Raith wasn't talking about hunting animals. He wants to hunt tributes.

Raith steps out from behind a pillar of equipment and holds up what I vaguely remember being called a harpoon. They are very rare in the Games. I guess the Gamemakers are feeling especially generous this year. "There are three of these," he says, holding up two more. "Three of us could go out into the forest and look for the other tributes while the other four of us stay here."

"Why would the other tributes still be around here?" Citiy asks, looking over at us while Tanner kisses her neck. "They will be long gone by now."

"Some of them were wounded," I recall. "Like Walley, for instance. When the hovercrafts came down to pick up the bodies his wasn't one of them. He couldn't have gotten far with that kind of wound."

"What do you mean he isn't dead?" Gleam exclaims, her narrowed eyes boring into Tanner.

"I thought-" He begins.

"You thought wrong," Gleam hisses, interrupting him. He looks hurt and she quickly takes it back. "I'm sorry. It's just… did you see the way he ran? He's a threat, Tanner. I just… I'm afraid he could hurt us." She says the last bit way too emotionally for her and I roll my eyes.

"Then lets go find him," I say, standing up and taking one of the harpoons from Raith. "And shoot him. Will that make you happy, Gleam?" She nods. I turn to our group. "Who else wants to come?"

"I guess I will," Hunter sighs, rising to his feet and taking a harpoon for himself. I narrow my eyes. I don't trust him. He glances around with narrowed eyes. "There's a blood trail over there." He points to a trail of blood. He walks over to it and kneels down to study it with narrowed eyes. "This is odd. Whoever left this trail was being dragged, that's why there are these long streaks. And see that large pool? They were first injured there… and they must have been there for about… seven minutes before they were dragged."

"How do you know they didn't crawl?" I scowl. This guy is such a know-it-all.

"Because of the way the blood is streaked," He says. "If they were injured enough to have this much blood flowing out of them then they would have had to stop more and there would be larger pools."

"Oh…" I grumble.

"Let's just follow it," Raith says, shoving past Hunter. I bring up the rear as we head into the forest. The scene looks straight from a horror movie as we head deeper into the woods, the blood standing out in an almost surreal way against the white snow.

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

I sit next to an unconscious Velvet, desperately pressing moss against her wound and trying to stop the blood flow. Where is Hunter? He is supposed to be here with me. I save Velvet because… well, I couldn't find him and she means a lot to him, I can tell. When he found me I didn't want her to be dead when I could have helped her. I'm getting really worried; the injury just won't stop bleeding. Suddenly, I hear a twig snapping in the distance and voices reach my ears.

"Did you try the lobster while we were in the Capitol?" I hear Jessamine say loudly.

"No," Raith replies.

"Shut up," I hear Hunter growl. Wait… HUNTER? "You'll alert every tribute in ten miles to our position."

"Whatever," Jessamine mutters. They are getting closer, heading straight towards us. For the first time I see the blood trail that we left behind when I pulled Velvet to here from the courtyard. Oops. We need to hide. I look around frantically before I find a large bush. I dive into it and pull Velvet in behind me, ruffling the snow so that our tracks are obscured and it looks as if we just disappeared. I pear through the leaves to see three pairs of white boots standing around where our tracks end. "Um… where did they go?"

"They are near here," Raith says. "Search around." I gulp and hold my breath as they spread out, searching for us in the bushing and in the trees. A pair o boots walk straight towards us and Hunter's blue eyes appear directly in front of mine. They widen in shock and they dart towards Velvet's injured body.

"Please…" I whisper. We stare at each other for a few more seconds, fear engulfing my entire body and causing me to shake.

"Guys," Hunter says. Oh no. He stands up and turns towards them. "There's no one here, it's a dead end. Let's go back to the courtyard and follow another trail."

"Alright," Raith agrees while I wonder if he's, like, in charge or something. I turn back to Velvet, who lies dying as the Careers jog away. I have to do something. I hear something hit the snow outside my bush and fear that they have returned. Looking through the leaves I find instead a parachute laying on the ground, a small cylinder sitting on the ground attached to it. I grab it and read the directions which say _apply generously to wound_ and uncork the cylinder. I stick my fingers into the apple-sauce-like concoction and rub it on Velvet's wound. God, I hope this helps her…

**Taylor, Age 14, District 12**

I'm officially a genius. I'm chilling in a shack that I found in the woods a little ways behind the mansion. Its wooden walls are lined with tools like shovels and chainsaws and the floor is littered with trash. I found a dilapidated old reclining chair in the back corner, I just had to brush off some spider webs and it was ready to go! It's actually pretty comfortable. I just wish I had a coconut…

**Sky, Age 16, District 10**

Ryden and I race through the forest, a chilly wind beating against our faces and the frosted ground crunching under our feet. We've been going for almost an hour now, to afraid to stop. I know we lost Tanner a long time ago, but I'm terrified that he and the other Careers picked up on our trail. We leap over a fallen log and land in a run on the other side.

"I think we can walk now," Ryden finally pants. We slow down and for the first time I realize that my legs feel like they are going to fall off. We stop all together and I immediately lay down on the icy ground, gasping for breath. Ryden leans up against the trunk of a tree, clutching at his side. He's been complaining about a stitch for about fifteen minutes but didn't suggest stopping until just now.

"Do… you think… they'll find us?" I ask betweens breaths.

"I… don't think so…" He replies. "At least not for awhile." I see the setting sun casting the white forest shades of pink and orange and as it sinks in the sky the air grows colder. Ryden slings a backpack that he picked up from the cornucopia off his shoulder and browses through its contents.

"We should just make camp here," I say.

"Alright," He nods. "I don't see why not." He pulls a sleeping bag out of the backpack and unrolls it before climbing instead. I watch jealously from where I sit on the hard ground. He looks so warm in there and it's so cold. The sun sets and the anthem of Panem blasts throughout the entire arena. I watch as the faces begin to appear in the sky. A little to my surprise, Madilynn is the first. I thought she'd have druggy watching out for her… I guess you can't be very watchful when you are constantly high. Ramona comes up next, followed by Elias. Oh how peachy, that means all the Careers are alive. That's just great. Ivy's picture is broadcasted next, along with Dillon and Dream. That's all six. It flickers off and the night sky once again is just the night sky.

I sit out in the cold, shivering and watching the forest around me. It's so cold. I hear the howls of a wolf pack far off in the distance, way to far for us to be in any danger. Owls hoot in the trees and the arctic wind cuts right through my jacket which provides little warmth. I'm shivering violently when Ryden finally notices. "You should come in here with me," He suggests. I hesitate before climbing under the sleeping bag. It holds in heat well and Ryden is naturally warm. The only thing still cold is my face. "Here," Gently, he pulls my face closer to his until his breath billows on my nose. "Now we can keep each other warm just by breathing." I can't help myself. I kiss him.

**Eclipse, Age 17, District 6**

I scale the side of a towering pine tree and climb as high as I can go before using some rope that I picked up at the cornucopia to tie myself to the branch. I sling my backpack over a nearby limb and try to settle in for the night. Out of the bloodbath I got my twin swords, the nylon rope, a bag of dried nuts, three daggers, some aloe lotion and a pair of night-vision sunglasses, which are resting on my head now.

It's interesting which tributes died today. Honestly, I thought that Ivy would have been smart enough not to go into the bloodbath. I knew that Dream would, she is arrogant and underestimates everyone else. The death of Madilynn didn't surprise me; I just didn't think that Dream would be the one stupid enough to kill her. How could she not have known that whoever killed Madilynn gets killed by Thaddeus? It's a chain reaction. Dillon wasn't much of a surprise, either, he is too cowardly. There is not anything wrong with being afraid, he just let it shape his destiny and that is why he was killed. If he had been strong enough to overcome his fears I have a feeling that he would not have died today. Elias was doomed from the beginning; it was just that no one knew what day he was going to die on. Ramona was a bit of a surprise, I had suspected that her cocky attitude would get her at least a little further then it did. It's such a shame that they all died… but it's necessary. I have to get back to my family and my friends. I have to get back home.

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

I watch as my angel's face appears in the sky. She was everything to me and they took her away. Yes, this is the other tributes' faults. They all did this to her… I'm going to make them pay. Could dare they kill something so beautiful, something that meant so much to me? I'm going to avenge Madilynn and then they'll regret what they did to her. I know she is the one who took my drugs that night. She doesn't want me to have them. That's why when I found the river that I lay next to now I threw them in and watched them float downstream. I'm a tribute in the Hunger Games. I have no friends. My family is dead and now my angel is, too. You can't live if you have no reason to stay alive. This is how I know that I will die. But when I go… I'm taking the other tributes with me.


	9. Tomorrow Will Be Kinder

**Time for me to fess up about this chapter. Okay, look. Originally, when I wrote this, I typed it up like this, edited it, and uploaded it to the Doc Manager. Then, I moved everything around and added song lyrics. So, quite frankly, now I'm not willing to go through the effort of doing that again, as it was hard enough the first time. So do me a favor, awesome people, and listen to the song Tomorrow Will be Kinder by the Secret Sisters while you're reading this. It'll add so much more effect! Trust me ;)**

**Prepare to be sad**

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**Anna, Ivy's Younger Sister**

She… she's gone. I saw the Elias boy do it on the TV. Heath won't leave our house now; he just sits in the garden on the bench where Ivy used to sit, staring off into the nothingness. He won't talk to anyone or say anything. He barely eats anything. He just sits there silently with tears falling from his face. I saw Mother crying yesterday. Ivy promised me that she would come back… she never breaks her promises.

**Kestrel, Peregrine's Younger Brother**

When I was little I tried to get my sister to love me. I gave her a bracelet when I was three, it was a simple chain. She took it with her into the arena as her token and she told me she loves me. But I'm not that naïve. I know she doesn't love me. She's not capable of it. I loved her once, tried so hard, _so hard_ to get her to love me. I wanted her to feel something, its all I ever wanted. But no, my sister is about as responsive as a table leg. For eight years I never gave up on her, never stopped trying to figure out why she didn't love me, why I wasn't good enough. I blamed myself for the fact that she was a shell of a person. I know better now. That thing is not my sister and I do not love her. I hate her. When she was reaped it was the happiest day of my life.

**Lina, Madilynn's Best Friend**

I knew she should have let me volunteer for her. Look where she is now. That should have been me! If I hadn't let her stop me… this never would have happened. I could have saved her but instead I let her die. It's all my fault. Everyone tells me it isn't, that its better this way, and that she was always destined for this. I think people write their own destiny. I let them take her away from me, and then that Dream girl slit her throat. When I saw it at first I couldn't believe it. I mean, it's just a show, right? I kept looking at the door, expecting her to walk in and ask who wanted to play truth or dare. But she never did. I always wondered why the friends and families of the tributes watched the Games. They are always informed when their tribute dies, why watch? Well now I know. You have to watch. It's like there is no other alternative, whatever happens and however much you don't want to watch you find yourself mysteriously sitting in front of the TV anyway, watching some stranger slit the throat of your best friend. Then you watch in disbelief as they choke on their own blood and their cannon sounds. The hardest part to except is the fact that nothing changes after they die. People keep going to work and students go to school. You see their memory in everything they ever touched, and when you run your hands over it its like you can still feel their warmth, hear the happiness that hung in their voice. But their voice is distant and a little muffled, as if it were coming from another room. Their eyes in photographs seems like they transcend two dimensions. The entire world feels bittersweet, everything brings them back. No matter what you do or where you go… their memory is still there to haunt you, along with the guilt of knowing that you could have saved them. I could have saved her.

**Molly, Ryden's Younger Sister**

I miss him, my brother. He was always so overprotective of me, never letting me do anything on my own and always pestering me about safety. I miss it so much. Camilla has been staying with us ever since Sky was reaped. She stays in my room and I find it hard to sleep over the sound of her sobbing. I'm not mad at her though, it's not like I'd get any sleep anyway. How can I when I know Ryden could die any second?

**Anthony, Dream's Older Brother**

Dream was doing so well, she even killed the Madilynn girl. Then came Thaddeus. He was relentless, slamming her head into the ground until it broke open and she bled over the stones. Even then, he kept going, not stopping until I couldn't even recognize her anymore. The day that monster dies will be the happiest day of my life… and if he escapes the arena… then he better watch his back.

**Orlando, Walley's Best Friend**

So dumping that vat of rotten milk on the escort wasn't a good idea. I was stupid to think we wouldn't get caught. Now I'm an Avox, watching my best friend fight to the death on my master's TV. Terrill and Nate are here, too, we watch the Games together. I've never understood the full pain of being an Avox. Everything hurts. Eating. Drinking. Breathing. And most importantly the pain in your heart is more then anything else you've ever felt. You can't speak and when you can't speak you are nothing. No one notices you, it's like you aren't there. Out of sight, out of mind. I don't blame Walley, though, we all should have realized what we were trying to do was impossible. But I'm not jealous of him, either. I would rather live without talking then die screaming.

**Cyrina, Vencitiy's Younger Sister**

My sister is going to win the Hunger Games. My sister is going to be a Victor! I am so jealous of her. After all, who wouldn't want to be in the Games? Besides my older brother, Zayte, that is. He's beating himself up over Ven going off but I don't know why. It's not like she's not coming back. Of course Ven is going to come back, she always does. Even that time she ran away a few years ago and lived on the streets for two whole months, she still came back. My sister is a survivor. If my parents would let us volunteer I would be up there in a heartbeat, winning my own Hunger Games and bringing back the rewards. Well, I mean, it isn't really like we need them, but it would be amazing to have so much money while everyone else has so little in comparison. I would be like a god amongst mortals. Of course, my parents cannot control us when we turn eighteen. When the day comes for me to be in the Reaping that year, I'm going to volunteer. I wonder how Ven will mentor me…

**Sabrie, Oplarran's Younger Sister**

I told him not to go. I told him not to go to the scary place on TV! Why did he leave me? I begged him and he still left me. Now all I have is Mommy and Daddy. But why did he go? He said that fate had chosen him. Who is fate? Why did Fate take Oplarry away from me? I don't understand! Why is he hurting people on the TV? Why does my mother cry herself to sleep every night?

**Joey, Tanner's Younger Brother**

What did they do to my brother? He is so different. I have never seen him do anything like this. He has always been so… so… not this. He has never cheated on girls or betrayed anyone. In fact, he used to be so loyal, especially to those close to him. The Games have changed him. When I saw him in the interviews talking about how he was dating Gleam I thought, _what are you doing, T?_ But still, I thought he really did like her, that she was only acting like that because it was her interview. But then they got into the arena and he practically shouted out to the world they he was dating Vencitiy, too. I don't know what he said to those girls to get them to be okay with that, but it's not right. What does he think he's doing, anyway? Cheating on two girls is not exactly getting hi sponsors. The people back here aren't too happy about it either. Sure, no one likes Vencitiy, she's annoying and never shuts up, but that doesn't mean that it's okay to do that to her. And what about Gleam? I'm sure she'd be hurt, too, if she figured out what was really going on. My little sister, Liena, isn't okay with it, either. Every time they show Tanner she starts screaming at the screen and I actually have to remind her that he can't hear her. I think that this whole situation is having a serious impact on her mental health. I'm worried about her. We haven't been fairing so well without Tanner, he was the one who earned the most money. I'm not near as good a conman or thief as Tanner is, I keep food on the table by scavenging in trash cans. It's not the nicest job but it puts food on the table whenever Tanner had a bad day of work. But now that he's gone we're barely scrapping by, I have to be out between every meal. I barely even have time to watch the Games. My biggest fear is that my brother is going to die on the TV and I won't be there to help Liena get through it.

**Cade, Jessamine's Best Friend**

I know Jess hangs with me because I remind her of her brother, and quite frankly, I'm proud of that. Cameron was a good man. But Jess doesn't know that I don't hang out with her just because we're best friends. I love her. And if she dies… I'll die, too.

**Millie, Ramona's Younger Sister**

My sister is dead. I feel as if a storm cloud has moved in where my heart once was. Sure, Ramona was the opposite of me, being impulsive, loud and brash, but she was my sister and I loved her. I still do. The only thing that keeps me going these days is the reminder that storms always disperse in the end. I know that things will get better. I just focus on the destination instead of the painful journey. One day I will be able to look at my sister's photograph and smile. I will be able to go into her bedroom without crying, touch the things she touched without feeling like I'm being cut open. Everything must come to an end, even pain.

**Silk, Velvet's Older Brother**

I think it might be more painful to watch Velvet compete in the Hunger Games then it would be if she had just died. Watching her suffer is almost unbearable; there is nothing I can do to help her. That's why I don't watch.

**Orion, Sterling's Father**

It's not my fault that I never knew what to say to my son, words just never came to me. That's why I never spoke to him to start with. Then whenever I saw his face, the guilt was so overwhelming that I had to leave so that I wouldn't cry in front of him. What have I done? I may never see my son again and I will have only looked upon his face a few times in person. I left him with his mother, no father to teach him how to be a man. He wasn't supposed to ever be born. Now that I look back, I am so glad he was… I just wish that I wasn't such a disappointment. What have I done to my son?

**Jeremiah, Roshan's Father**

That's my little girl on that TV. I taught her everything she knows, from survival skills to having compassion for people. I watch her in that cursed TV show from my living room, my other children, sitting around me holding their breath with tears falling from their eyes, praying that Roshan will make it out alive. I just hope that I taught her enough to make this dream a reality.

**Michelle, Hunter's Younger Sister**

Hunter was always one with the wolves. He spent almost all of his time in the forest, running with them. He says they understand him better then most people, everyone except me. When I saw him get Reaped I knew it was all over. He couldn't go run with the wolves anymore or hunt under the bright blue skies. He is the only family I have left. Without him, I will surely die, I'm already halfway there. I need him to come back, not only for my survival, but for my sanity.

**Alexi, Abrielle's Best Friend**

My best friend was reaped on my birthday. That's not the best gift in the world. I watched in horror as she walked up onto the stage and my hand absentmindedly strayed to the necklace she had just given me moments before. Even hours after she was chosen, my mind kept running over what happened. It shouldn't be possible. My best friend was reaped. Its not that I don't have faith in Abby, I just know her well. Well enough, that is, to know that she is too sweet to kill, to sweet to win the Games. I fear the day that I will see her die, and even though I know it's coming… I know its going to hurt.


	10. Smoke

**It is really hard to find the motivation to keep updating this story. I mean, everyone has already read it and we all know how it ends (um, duh), but if you're reading this for the first time, can you be a nice person and review? Please? :)**

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**Taylor, Age 14, District 12**

I wake up and stretch. My stomach growls and I glance around, trying to find food in my tool shed. Unfortunately I have no such luck. There is officially no food in here. Sigh. I grab a pitchfork which I can use as a weapon if I need to and step outside into the cold morning air, the snow crunching under my feet and my breath billowing before my face. I've only taken two or three steps outside when a parachute lands in front of me on the frosty ground. I pick it up and find a small slip of paper with the words _action reaps rewards_ written on it. I open the metal container and find a coconut filled with orange juice inside! Epicsauce. Taking out my coconut, I toss the parachute onto the ground and head deeper into the forest. Towering pine trees grow around me and birds chatter endlessly in the treetops. I try to look like I'm doing things like tracking tributes or something, but all I really want is another coconut. My stomach growls again and I'm reminded that orange juice isn't food. Hmm… this might be harder then I thought.

I walk for about half an hour before I reach a river. Settling down beside it, I kneel down to splash its ice-cold water on my face to keep me awake. I woke up early this morning, it was around six AM when I left my tool shed. I lift the water up to my lips to have a drink, but I notice something downstream caught on a rock just as I'm raising my hands to my lips. Splashing through the shallows towards it, I lift it out of the water with two fingers and study it carefully. It's a plastic bag filled to the brim with multicolor pills. What is it? I assume it's a gift from a sponsor, meant to keep me awake or perhaps something even better. But is this how sponsors deliver their gifts, randomly leaving them in the arena in plastic bags for their favorite tributes to find? I'm not really sure, I don't really watch the Hunger Games, just the stuff that's mandatory or, whatever part of it happens to be on while I'm walking past the TV. I decide to trust that its from a sponsor. Shoving my hand into the bag, I pull out four of the pills and swallow them in one gulp.

Suddenly, the world turns into rainbows.

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

I sit on the edge of the courtyard, squishing berries up so I can use their juices as eye shadow. I can't have myself looking bad! I mean, we are on camera constantly here. Everyone is in the mansion getting ready to go. Of course I woke up the earliest, I always do. Once my makeup is done I head back into the mansion. It must have been so beautiful long ago, now it's all shabby and covered in dust. Ew. I'm not entirely sure which room is which so I open one at random. Stepping inside, I find myself in a huge dinning room with tables full of food. I see a lobster, which I my favorite food, and sit down in the chair in front of it. Placing a napkin in my lap and taking up the utensils in my hands I lean forward, ready to take a bite.

"Don't eat that," I hear a deep voice say from the doorway, making me jump. Oplarran is at my side almost instantly, pulling me out of the chair and away from my meal.

"Hey," I complain, glaring at him. "That's my breakfast!"

"Yeah, and it's your last one, too," He replies blankly.

"What are you…?" I trail off as he rips open the lobster. Hundreds of black widow spiders spill out of it, heading straight at us. I scream and race away to the doorway; hiding behind the frame and watching Oplarran follow a little slower. The second he steps out of the room I slam the door behind us and try to calm down.

"Hey," he says casually. "Where's Jess?"

"Probably still sleeping," I say. "I'll go wake her up."

"Well, I saw smoke over in the Northwest side of the woods," Oplarran says. "You guys can take your time, but I'm going to head over there."

I walk down the rest of the hallway until I thankfully find a familiar room. Gleam, Jess and I slept in here last night. I open the door and step inside, Oplarran hanging out in the hallway. There are three beds in the room, with a dresser and a walk-in closet that contains old dresses that I would be wearing if they weren't half eaten by moths. Gleam is gone but Jess lays on her bed, her sheets and comforter in a tangled mass and spit dripping out of her mouth and onto her pillow, her hair fuzzy and knotted. "Jess!"

"What?" She groans.

"Get up," I say. "You have to get ready."

"I don't wanna…" She grumbles and then throws a pillow at my head. I dodge it easily and advance.

"Okay," I say. "So you don't want to go searching the mansion?"

Her eyes flash open. "I never said that…"

"Good," I smile. "Then get up and let's go."

**Ryden, Age 18, District 10**

Sky and I wake up to another cold morning, the grey sky dotted with fluffy clouds and the birds twittering away in the trees. We sit up and are discussing breakfast when we see something dangerously nearby: smoke.

"We need to go, now," I say, throwing our stuff into the backpacks and slinging mine over my shoulder while tossing Sky hers.

"Why?" She asks, crossing her arms. "If those idiots want to get themselves killed, how is it our problem?"

"Because," I say slowly. "When the other tributes get here they are going to be searching the surrounding area to make sure that no one was with whoever is over there. Guess where we are Sky: the surrounding area!"

"Oh," She frowns, picking up her own backpack. We set off heading in a direction that I think is east. As we progress we begin to see more rocks until we are climbing over outcrops almost every other minute. We emerge in a huge clearing, colorful flowers breaking through the snow to reach towards the late-morning sky. A huge mountain towers directly to our left, its jagged hands scrapping the sky. "Wow…" Sky breathes.

**Eclipse, Age 17, District 6**

I sit at the base of my pine tree, trying desperately to get warm next to my fire. I must not have tucked in my hands last night or something, because my fingers are slightly blue. I hold them beside the dancing flames and will them to warm my hands. The ice that is streaming through my veins is ever so slowly fading, but I have never felt this cold in my life.

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

I was on my feet the second I saw the smoke. I stalk through the forest on silent feet. I'm out for blood. I stick to the shadows as I approach the location of the fire, and hid behind a bush when I hear raspy breathing and the crackling of flames. Parting the leaves with my hands, I peer threw. Eclipse sits next to the source of the smoke, holding blue hands to the flames. It must have gotten colder here then it did in the rest of the arena. I guess the gamemakers don't like him.

Pulling out the only weapon I got from the bloodbath, a dagger with a curved blade, I ready myself before lunging at him from the bushes. I catch him by surprise and my dagger sinks into his shoulder. We roll away from his supplies sitting next to the fire. His strength surprises me and he throws me off. Pulling the dagger out of his shoulder he slashes out at me and it barely misses my neck. Leaping towards him again, I knock the dagger out of his hand and watch in frustration as it skids away into a small stream and is carried down river. You've got to me kidding me.

Eclipse and I wrestle on the ground for what must be three minutes before, for a brief moment, I finally get the upper hand. I have him pinned, but I know I can't hold him long so I have to act fast. Grabbing at the closest thing I can find, I rip a clump of clovers out of the ground and, prying his mouth open with my fingers, shove them down his throat. Leaping off him, I watch as he grabs at his neck and his face gradually turns a shade of blue. His cannon sounds and I hastily snatch all of his supplies. Two swords, that's a nice score. I'm not as good with them as I was with my dagger but since it was just washed away, this is the next best thing.

I need to get moving before other tributes that were looking for the tribute that started the fire show up. As Oplarran erupts form the bushes, however, I know it's too late for that. Leaping out of the way, I stick my foot out and he trips over it tumbling to the ground. I'm pulling my double swords out of their sheaths when he smashes into me again, but they weren't out all the way. They clatter to the ground and the two of us wrestle in the opposite direction. I made him drop his weapons as well when I tripped him; he was to intent on getting to me before I took out my swords to pick them up again. It worked out in his favor, he's huge and I'm just average size. As he pins me to the ground it is obvious he has the upper hand. He picks up the nearest rock he can find and raises it about his head, ready to crash it into mine.

For a brief moment I find bliss. I'm going to see my angel again.

That's about when Peregrine leaps out of the bushes and cleanly slices his head off with a hatchet. His cannon sounds and I push the dead body off of me, diving for my swords and preparing myself to fight the emotionless tribute. I fling myself at her, one of my swords aiming for her throat and the other for her heart. She deflects both with a hatchet in each hand and kicks me in the stomach, sending me falling over backwards. She has me pinned instantly and knocks my weapons away from me.

"You really should work on keeping a better hold of those," She says casually but without any expression.

"Of course," I grumble. "I get trapped by the tribute that enjoys playing with her food."

"I don't feel enjoyment," She reminds me, picking some dirt out from under one of her nails. She looks at me blankly. "We should be in an alliance." That is quite possible the most insane thing that I have ever heard since I was born. Except maybe some of the things that I heard while I was a druggy, but looking back at that now I realize what an idiot I was and the fact that I cannot trust _anything_ that I saw or heard while I was high… and that rules out a lot of time.

"Why on earth would I trust you?" I reply coldly. "How do I know you aren't just trying to trick me into trusting you, just so you can kill me later?"

"Because," Peregrine says slowly. "If I wanted to kill you I could have done it already."

"Oh," I grumble. "But why do you want to be in an alliance with me?"

"We aren't like the others," She explains. "We don't feel guilty about killing, me because I feel no emotion and you because you want revenge. Without guilt and morality holding us back, the two of us could accomplish much more; more then we could if we were hunting down the other tributes."

"Fine," I say. "Allies."

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

Remember that poultice that one of our sponsors sent Velvet and I for her wound? It sure worked! It's just the next day and it looks like it's been a week since Eclipse slashed her hip with his sword. As I sit here eating a pile of edible berries that I gathered a little while ago, Velvet's eyes flash open. She sits up instantly and hits her head on a branch.

"Hey be careful," I say, pushing her back down into a laying position, she looks at me fearfully and instinctively reaches for the spot above her shoulder where her quiver usually is, but its not there. I took it off of her when we got here so that she could lay down better.

"Where is my bow and quiver," She demands, propping herself up on her elbows and glaring at me.

"Right over there," I say pointing at her weapons a few feet away. She dives for them, loading an arrow into her bow and aiming it straight at my head. "You know, you could at least thank me for saving your life before you kill me." Slowly, she lowers her aim.

"You saved me?"

"Yep," I say proudly. "I pulled you all the way to here from the courtyard and even hid you from the Careers! I though that when Hunter finally found us that he'd be happy to see you're here since he likes you, I think, but he's with the Careers now for some reason so I'm not sure-"

"What do you mean he's with the Careers?" She interrupts confusion on her face. "And what day is it?"

"It's just day two," I answer. "And I don't know, he was hunting tributes with them. He saw us in this bush but he told them that there was no one here. I don't know… But since Hunter is abandoned me, I'm kind of all alone…" I say quietly. The idea of being alone in the Hunger Games isn't a good one.

Roshan sighs. "Don't worry. I'll stay with you."

**Jessamine, Age 18, District 2**

As Vencitiy and I head down a hallway we chose at random she starts talking. "So, Jess, do you have a boyfriend at home?"

"No," I reply honestly. "But there is this one guy…"

"Tell me," She says eagerly, reminding me of a puppy who just noticed that you had a doggy biscuit.

"His name's-" I say but then cut off abruptly. "I'm an idiot; the whole of Panem is watching this. I'm not going to talk about this now!"

"Oh," Vencitiy says looking disappointed. "Right…"

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

I peel off my shirt and jacket and kneel down besides the stream. Cupping my hands, I let the cold water flow into them. I shiver as I splash the water onto my injured shoulder and my breath billows in the air in front of my face. I shake myself dry, almost like a dog would, and quickly throw my clothes back on.

Suddenly, I freeze in my tracks as I hear a deep growling coming from behind me. I turn around slowly to find a huge bear standing behind me, its yellow teeth bared. "Nice grizzly," I say calmly, taking a step back. I snap a twig under my foot and the bear rears up on its back paws, towering to twice my size, and lets out a mighty roar that must have been heard throughout the entire arena. I turn and flee, splashing up water behind me. I have a head start and manage to leap into a nearby tree, my shoulder muscles creaming with effort. The bear races up to it, placing its front paws on the trunk and glaring up at me. "Ha, loser! What are you gonna do now, huh?" I taunt. As if he heard me, the bear sits down at the trunk of the tree not taking its eyes off of me. Great… this is going to be a long day.

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

I sit in the courtyard with my legs crisscrossed and my head propped up on my fists. I'm thinking. Strategizing, really. It's been a few hours since Oplarran left; I can only assume that after he killed the first tribute whose cannon sounded earlier today that he picked up the trail of another and is following that now. The number of tributes is dwindling at a surprisingly fast rate. That's good, I'll be home sooner. I can't help but wonder who has died so far. Thaddeus probably overdosed on drugs, he was most likely the first one to go this morning. Walley probably died as well, he couldn't have done much with that kind of injury.

As for my Tanner situation, I'm going to keep playing the same card. He is so stupid to believe for one second that I actually like him. He is annoying and retarded. Case closed. Anyway, I don't know how he convinced Vencitiy not to murder me whenever she sees me with him but honestly I don't really care. Everything is working out and Tanner is still in the Career alliance.

Hunter has definitely made us stronger; we needed his skills and talents. Sure Raith is good with spears but arrows go further then they do and Hunter's accuracy is unrivaled. Well, perhaps the Velvet girl is almost as good as he is… but she would never have joined us, she is too arrogant and unpredictable. Hunter was the best choice.

**Sky, Age 16, District 10**

Ryden and I wander through the field, admiring the scenery. We've been here since this morning, its one of the nicest places I've ever seen in any of the Hunger Games arenas. There is a small river cutting through it that we have our stuff sitting next to. I see something moving in the grass and crouch down, thinking it's a rabbit or something. I crawl closer to where I saw the movement and suddenly a wasp-like creature flies out at my face, stinging me right on the tip of my nose. OW! I yelp out in pain and swat the thing away. I've never had a wasp sting that hurt so much.

"Sky, what's wrong?" Ryden demands, at my side almost instantly. I know he's trying to make up for last night, how he didn't instantly invite me into the sleeping bag with him, but I don't blame him. It's the first day in the arena, everyone was tired and scared, his brain just wasn't working right, and mine wasn't either. I keep telling him it isn't his fault but he won't really listen.

"Something, just…" I say my speech slowing and my head feeling dizzy. "That wasp… just stung me…" My head feels fuzzy. I point at where it sits on the ground, its life ebbing away after I wacked it with my hand.

"Sky, that's not a wasp!" He exclaimed.

"What?" I mutter in confusion.

"That's a Tracker Jacker!" These are the last words I hear before I loose consciousness.

**Abby, Age 14, District 11**

Sterling and I sure had a pretty fun morning, if you know what I mean.

Now I sit outside the cave, eating some edible roots I collected and watching the Careers down in the courtyard. Oplarran left to go tribute hunting ages ago and still hasn't come back. It's almost five o' clock in the afternoon now, with the sun lowering in the sky and the birds starting to decrease the amounts of their singing. I'm more of a morning person, too.

"Hey gorgeous," Sterling says seductively, coming up behind me from where he was in the cave. He sits down next to me and follows my gaze. "The careers are really boring…"

"Yeah," I agree. "Gleam has been sitting there for ages. Oplarran left awhile ago to go tribute hunting, though, and he still hasn't come back."

"Good," He nods. "Maybe he died."

"I hope so," I say halfheartedly. I know that this is the Hunger Games and I will end up having to kill people in the end anyway, but that doesn't mean I _want_ people to die. I can tell Sterling doesn't care that much, that's the only part of him that I don't like, he's a little spoiled. Okay, well, a lot spoiled. But I could never bring myself to tell him that because… well… I think I love him.


	11. Thanks For the Memories

**Again, when I wrote this chapter I was stupid and didn't put the song lyrics in until it was on Fanfiction, and thus I don't have the version with the song lyrics. It doesn't matter, though! Just listen to the song Thanks For the Memories by Studio All-Stars while you read this! Or don't. Whatever.**

* * *

**Tanner, Age 17, District 4**

Oplarran's face was in the sky last night. I wonder who killed him. Jessamine is pissed, she's still ranting about how he was the 'only normal one'. I think Raith may punch her any second.

"He was the only one with any sanity," Jess murmurs under her breath.

"Will you please shut up?" Raith snaps. She glares at him.

"I think we should go look for who killed him," She announces. All of us are hanging out in the boy's bedroom not really doing much except chilling. Ven is on my left and Gleam is on my right, I have one arm around both of them. Hunter is leaning against the wall next to the window not saying anything except numbers which he mutters under his breath. Raith sits on one of the beds with a scowl on his face, while Jess paces back and forth, twiddling her thumbs.

"Why?" Gleam asks. "What's the point?"

"We can avenge his death," Jess explains. "And kill more tributes in the process."

"She's got a point," Hunter says, taking a break from counting for a moment. "Besides, we've been here to long."

"Alright," Raith grumbles standing up. "Let's go then."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Gleam says. "Who put you in charge, exactly?"

"Get over it, Gleam," I say gently, not wanting a fight. "Come on, let's just go."

"Fine," She hisses and stomps out of the room, the others following. We get as much equipment as we can while Hunter finds the tracks. We follow them into the forest, ready to face whatever we may find.

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

As Roshan and I slowly make our way through the forest, I have to stop every few minutes to rest because of my injury. Even when I'm barely walking it hurts, and Roshan says that if I don't go slowly then it might reopen. I've already lost enough blood without loosing more. I lean against a pine tree, gasping for breath.

"Velvet," Roshan says. "If you aren't strong enough today then we can wait until tomorrow."

"No," I argue. "We need to move. I'm fine." It feels weird to be being taken care of by a thirteen year old, but I appreciate her help. I mean, if she hadn't helped me, I'd be dead.

"We should rest for awhile though," She insists. "You need to keep your energy."

"Alright," I nod. I slid down the trunk of the tree so that I'm sitting on the snow-covered ground. A blue bird twitters in the tree above me. Pulling out my bow and arrow I shoot it to the ground and Roshan goes to collect it.

"Right in the eye," She notices. "Nice shot."

"Thanks," I breathe.

**Sterling, Age 16, District 8**

I watch as the Careers collect some of their things and leave the mansion behind. I can't believe this, I had thought that they'd stay there the entire time and I wouldn't get a chance to go inside. Mansions are my natural habitat, after all, and I'm desperate to get away from all this dirt and filth that Abby keeps calling _nature_.

"Abby," I say. She pokes her head out from behind the vines curiously. She's so beautiful. "The Careers left."

"They left?"

"Yes," I nod. "They left the mansion; they are going into the forest. They took a bunch of stuff with them I don't think they'll be back for awhile, if they even come back at all."

"Then what are we waiting for?" She asks excitedly. "Let's go!" We grab our spears and race down the slope. Reaching the courtyard I'm out of breath but Abby is as energetic as ever. She throws open the doors to the mansion and we step inside. It's almost as huge as my mansion back in District Eight, with a towering dome ceiling and marble floors. The entire thing, however, is covered in dust as if no one has been here for centuries. I hate dust.

"Gross…" I grumble as I follow Abby down a long hallway. She stops to admire a portrait of a beautiful garden hanging on the wall and I throw open a random door. Instantly, a huge axe swings down from the ceiling straight towards me. I yelp and slam the door shut, the blade appearing only centimeters to the left of my head, leaving a huge hole in the door. "Abby, I think this place is…" I trail off as I realize that she's not standing there anymore. "Abby?"

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

That bear… that _stupid_ bear… has been sitting at the bottom of this tree since _yesterday_ just staring at me and salivating like I'm going to be its next meal. "You don't want to eat me," I tell it. "I'm chewy and don't have much fat." It lets out a roar in response and I groan and bang my head on a tree branch out of annoyance. I'm going to die in this tree if something doesn't happen.

Deciding that it'll be more entertaining then just sitting here doing nothing, I break off a small piece of the tree and load it into my slingshot. Taking careful aim, I shoot it down at the bear and it bounces off his head. He growls at me. Suddenly, I have an idea. I get another shard of twig and let it fly. It hits the bear right in the eye. It lets out a terrible roar before taking off into the forest. I sigh with relief before climbing down from the branches. My body is stiff and sore from spending the night in the tree and my eyelids feel heavy because I didn't get much sleep last night at all. Could you if you knew that there was a bear below you and if you fell it would rip out your intestines and make them into spaghetti? I don't think so.

Stepping onto the solid ground again for the first time in over twelve hours, I pull off my shirt and jacket, exposing my bare skin to the bitter wind. Slowly, I unwrap the bandages and find that my injury has turned a sickish green color. That is not a good sign. Not wanting to look at it, I wrap it back up and throw my clothes back on. I decide to head east. I reach the creek where the bear first ambushed me and glance around nervously to make sure that it isn't hiding in the shadows before continuing on into the forest.

**Ryden, Age 18, District 10**

"Ryden…" Sky murmurs, sitting up slowly, and one hand on her forehead which is probably throbbing. I'm at her side instantly. She glances around. "What happened?"

"You got stung by a Tracker Jacker," I explain. "But you'll be fine."

"Where are we?" She asks, looking around. We are on cool brown stones, blades of grass growing up in the cracks and as a hawk flies overhead the arena looms below us, slightly shrouded in morning mist.

"I took you up the mountain when you passed out," I explain. She looks confused so I keep talking. "You know, from the Tracker Jacker sting. I figured that none of the other tributes are up here, most likely, so I thought it would be a nice place to stay while you recover."

"Ryden…" She says slowly. "What do you mean… _other tributes_?"

"The other tributes," I repeat, a little perplexed by her behavior. "You know the people we are fighting to the death…"

"What are you talking about?" She asks, frustration growing on her face. "I was just at the Reaping, how did I get stung by a Tracker Jacker right in the middle of District Ten? And why would you take me up here if I did? Where are we even? There are no mountains in Ten."

"Sky," I whisper, my eyes wide. "You were reaped; we're in the Hunger Games."

"No," She says, standing up and stepping away from me. "No, that isn't possible. I don't know what you're talking about."

"That was no Tracker Jacker…" I breathe. "That was something else. Sky, you've lost your memory."

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

"There were tributes here," Peregrine announces, standing up from where she crouched down. "Two of them. They went that way." She points off in a random direction.

I nod and ask, "How fast?"

"Just walking," She says with her usual blank expression.

"Let's go," I say and we take off at a jog, but suddenly, I feel incredibly tired. "Peregrine, wait… lets… rest here… for awhile."

"What's wrong?" She asked, not really concerned.

"I don't know…" I mutter. My throat is soar and I feel hot, which isn't normal considering there is snow on the ground and I can see my breath. "I feel horrible."

"You're suffering withdrawal," She notices. "From the drugs."

"This is horrible," I groan, feeling sick to my stomach. I throw up and Peregrine just sits there watching me with her usual poker face. When I finally stop I study her curiously. "So… you feel… no emotions?"

"I feel nothing," She replies almost robot-like.

"Then why did you volunteer?" I ask.

"I want to feel something." She explains.

"So then you _do_ feel something?"

"No,"

"But you said you _wanted_ to feel something," I say. "And wanting is an emotion." She seems to drift off into her own thoughts so I drift off into mine. If I didn't feel any emotion I wouldn't have stopped taking drugs, I wouldn't have started them to begin with. I wouldn't have gone to that party with the drugs because I would have thought it would be pointless and I would never have fallen in love with Madilynn. I wouldn't feel all this pain that I do now. How different would my life be… if I wasn't me?

**Taylor, Age 14, District 12**

Oh my god, the kittens are attacking me! AH! I have to run, I have to get away from them and their rainbow laser beams. Ow! One of the beams hits me in the shoulder and I fall to the neon orange ground. Slowly, the orange fades and the world returns, except for the fact that its still spinning and my head is throbbing like I got hit in the head with a tractor. Wait… That laser beam wasn't a laser beam, it was an arrow. And the kittens aren't kittens… it's the Careers!

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

My arrow hits Taylor in the shoulder and he falls to the ground. His world seems to clear as I rapidly approach and he stumbles to his feet and runs in the opposite direction. I roll my eyes and keep going, my feet slapping against the icy ground. Jessamine races through the forest a few yard to my right, two knives clutched in each of her hands. I can see Taylor darting through the woods, running into trees every now and then. He's not very fast, and I would have captured him easily but it doesn't matter. Vencitiy comes out of nowhere, leaping down from the trees and pinning him to the ground in a matter of seconds. When I catch up, I see what lies in front of us. A huge cemetery stretches from horizon to horizon, grey tombstones sticking out of the ground, cobwebs stretching between some of them and an eerie mist hanging over the whole scene.

Gleam arrives and grins at the horror movie setting in front of us. Grabbing Taylor by the neck of his tribute uniform she pulls him off the ground and drags him into the cemetery. They rest of us looks at each other nervously before following.

"Um, Gleam," Tanner says uncertainly, glancing around anxiously. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" She ignores him and roughly throws Taylor to the ground before pinning him and whipping out a knife. The poor kid is still too confused to really be able to do anything. She holds the knife above his eyes and shows him the blade with a demented smile on her face.

"I'm not watching this," Jessamine announces, heading off in a random direction. Turning around she adds, "Come get me when it's over." Raith follows her.

"What do you know?" Gleam asks Taylor with narrowed eyes.

"What are you t-talking about?" He squeaks.

"You were good friends with Sky and Ryden during Training," She says. "I bet you know where they are…"

"Gleam," I speak up. "His footprints were the only ones, he's alone."

"You don't know everything," She snaps at me before turning back to him. Quickly, she flicks her knife and leaves a three inch cut on Taylor's cheek. He grimaces in pain. "Tell me, coconut boy, what do you know about this Game?"

"I don't know anything that you don't," He replies quietly. Angered, Gleam slices a long cut on his upper arm, staining his white uniform red.

"You're lying…"

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

I walk down another corridor, curiosity getting the best of me. I know I left Sterling behind, but come on, how dangerous can a mansion be? I don't need his protection constantly. In fact, if anyone needs protection it's probably him. Opening a random door, I step inside. It's an empty room with white walls and a white floor. I hear the door close behind me and in disappointment I turn around to leave. I try to open the door… its locked.

Suddenly, I hear a grinding noise. Turning around, the walls begin moving. THE WALLS ARE MOVING! They are closing in on me, moving closer and closer to each other. I need to get help. Banging on the door I scream and shout, not caring who hears.

"STERLING!" I shriek as the walls get ever closer. "SHERMAN! ANYONE! HELP!" They are getting closer. When Sterling finally throws open the door, they are pressing on each of my shoulders. He grabs my arm and pulls me out, scrapping up my shoulders in the process. The second I'm outside, the walls change direction and keep going until they reach their original position. Sterling closes the door and he holds me for a few minutes before the two of us continue on down the hallway, not saying anything.

I open another door but survey it before stepping inside. It seems safe. We're in a large bedroom with a chest of drawers, a few bookshelves, a wardrobe and a king-sized bed that sits smack in the middle of the room. I glance at Sterling and he puts on a devilish grin that makes my heart flutter.

**Jessamine, Age 18, District 2**

I walk around the cemetery and study the names. They all seem so familiar. The tombstones here aren't like the ones that we have in the Districts, they have just the names of the people on them and that's it. Finally, I find one tombstone that answers all of my questions.

It reads _Cameron Mason_.

I knew that I knew these names from somewhere. I should have seen it before. All these tombstones read the names of tributes that have died in the past. That is why there are so many of them, twenty-three for ever Hunger Games that have ever taken place. I kneel down besides my brother's grave and stare at the ground. I can't help but stare at the ground wondering if his remains are actually down there, even though I knew they aren't They are safely back in District Two… aren't they?


	12. Inferno

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

When I wake up I find Gleam still on top of Taylor, his entire uniform stained red and Taylor himself barely conscious. His body is covered in cuts and slices. Gasping, I'm on my feet immediately. "What have you done to him?" I breathe, walking over to them.

"He knows nothing," Gleam growls, dragging her dagger across the palm of his hand. He whimpers slightly. The grass he lies on is crimson and several of his fingers lay on the ground a few feet away. One of his eyes seems to be missing and his right leg is barely hanging on. "He's useless. But I _am_ enjoying myself." Taking her dagger, she stabbed it into a place that a guy should never be stabbed.

"That's it," I cut in. I pull an arrow out of my quiver and shoot it into Taylor's heart out of mercy. His cannon sounds and the second it does Gleam whips around and her knife misses my neck by mere inches.

"You aren't fit to be one of us," She hisses.

**Sky, Age 16, District 10**

Ryden and I hike up the mountain side, scrambling over boulders and dodging falling rocks. "So you really don't remember anything after the Reaping?"

"No," I reply honestly.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing," I say again, annoyed. What the heck was up with this dude? I'm pretty sure we've already established that I don't remember anything. Why does he care so much? And why did I make allies with this idiot anyway?

"Hey," Ryden says suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I grumble.

"There's a huge fire over there…" He notices. I follow his gaze to the far side of the arena where scarlet hands claw at the sky and scorch the forest. He's right. I wonder who will die in that fire, but I guess it doesn't really matter. I won't remember them anyway.

**Walley, Age 15, District 7**

My shoulder hurts, I can barely move it. Even the wind hurts it as I make my way through the forest. Why did Tanner have to stab me with that stupid trident? I sit down with my back up against the trunk of a pine tree, intending only to rest for a bit but ending up drifting off into sleep.

When I wake up, smoke hits my nostrils. I'm on my feet in an instant. Fire rages around me, engulfing the forest and sending animals racing to find shelter. I grab my things and take off running, the flames lapping at my feet and singing my hair. It is literally right behind me. I'm going to die.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

Thaddeus and I have been following the trail south. I can see the large amounts of smoke in the distance. "We should go there," I say thoughtfully.

"Why?" Thaddeus asks, looking at me like I'm crazy.

"Because," I explain. "The Gamemakers wouldn't start a fire there for no reason, there must be at least one tribute there. And if they escape the fire we should be there to make sure that they don't live long after that."

"But what if we get caught in the fire?" Thaddeus questions.

"We won't,"

"Okay, but what about the trail we've been following since yesterday?"

"It'll still be here."

He sighs. "Fine."

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

"My head hurts," I grumble to Sterling as we pick apples off of the huge supply pile in the courtyard. He takes a bite of his and looks at me with concern in his eyes. He walks over and feels my forehead.

"You don't feel hot," He says.

"But my head hurts," I repeat, the throbbing increasing. I clutch at it and slump down on the ground. He kneels down beside me and rests his hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, it's alright," He smiles. "Just relax for today? I'll take care of everything."

"Okay…" I nod, happy that he cares so much about me.

**Raith, Age 18, District 1**

I walk pointlessly around the graveyard, not really looking for anything in particular. Jessamine told everyone how the tombstones are for the dead tributes. I recognize them every once in a while. A Career that everyone was sure would win or an underdog from the outlying districts that made it to the final few.

I let out a yelp suddenly and fall to the ground, my insides feeling as hot as lava. I just found a tombstone that says _Quartz Adeara_ on it. My Quartz…

"Raith, what's wrong…" Jessamine trails off as she trots up to me, realizing what grave I kneel next to. "Oh."

"She…" I whisper. "She was everything to me."

"I know," Jessamine nods.

"I don't understand," I murmur, tears falling down my face. "She should have won… She was going to win… and this happened…"

"Surely you knew that she wasn't going to make it out." Jessamine says. "I mean, she was better then most of the other tributes, sure, but she was one of the weakest links in the Career alliance that year. She was doomed to fail from the start. You-" I leap at her and as she falls, her head splits open on a tombstone and her cannon sounds. Her blood stains the soil above Quartz's grave red. What have I done?

**Roshan, Age 14, District 9**

Velvet and I make our way slowly through the forest. I'm worried that we're being followed, and right now we're a pretty easy target. I'm thinking about this right when we stumble across Hunter collapsed on the ground, his face twisted with pain.

"Hunter!" I yelp in surprise. Bending down, I rest my hand on his shoulder.

"Oh my god…" Velvet breathes.

"What's wrong?" I demand as he looks up at me with pain in his dark blue eyes.

"Stomach…" He breathes. I glance at Velvet nervously before tugging his shirt off. A huge gash cuts diagonally across his stomach and blood wells from the wound. Velvet lets out a little shriek as she sees it and practically rips her jacket off and throws it on him to try and stop the blood flow. I don't know if he can survive this.

**Walley, Age 15, District 7**

I've been running for what seems like hours. Smoke coats my lungs and my legs feel like lead. I bunch my muscles to leap over a fallen log but I misjudged it. My foot sinks into the rooting wood and I tumble to the ground. Standing up, I pull hard against the wood to find that I'm stuck. A wall of fire storms towards me.

I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

Wait a minute… today is my birthday!

I'm going to die.

I'm going to die on my birthday.

I'm going to die.

I'm going to die.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure comes out of nowhere. Peregrine practically sinks her axe into the log and grabs my hand, pulling me away from the flames. She doesn't let go as we race through the forest, smoke billowing against our faces. Finally I see a river up ahead. We splash into the water and swim as hard as we can to the other side. Collapsing on the riverbank we look back out across the water at the fire that could have consumed me.

The girl with no emotions just saved my life.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I have never felt anything so powerful then we I saw him about to be devoured by the flames. Sympathy and compassion overwhelmed me until I couldn't even control myself. Walley isn't exactly the kind of guy I thought I'd fall in love with if I ever did have emotions… but who cares? Emotions aren't logical.

Even now as we lay on the ground next to each other I still feel it. Granted, much less powerful that it was when I pulled him out of the way of the flames, but its still there. I look over at his soot-smudged face, his bright blue eyes reflecting the inferno and his messy auburn hair ruffled up. He notices me staring at him and blinks at me.

"Why?" He coughs.

"I felt something," I whisper.

"What the heck was that?" Thaddeus demands, stomping out of the bushes. "Now we have an extra weigh to carry around and another mouth to feed. Great job, Peregrine, you're so smart. 'Let's go kill whoever is in the fire' my butt!"

"Thaddeus-" I begin but cut off abruptly as Walley slumps back on the ground clutching at his shoulder. I glare daggers at Thaddeus.

"Fine," He snaps at last, crossing his arms. "You can keep him." I roll closer to Walley.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Shoulder…" He breathes. I pull off his jacket and shirt to find an ugly infected wound underneath. Almost instantly a parachute lands next to us. Opening it I find a small metal jar and a slip of paper that says _you go girl_ on it. That's my mentor for you. I apply the purplish ointment to Walley's skin and he immediately looks at ease. "Thank you…"

"You're welcome," I say quietly and for once actually mean it.


	13. My Skin

**This is honestly one of my favorite chapters in Quiet Like the Snow. It's just so sad! And I love this song. It's My Skin by Natalie Merchant. I actually have the lyrics in this one! Yay! Enjoy, but be ready for some depressing stuff.**

* * *

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

_ Take a look at my body_

_ Look at my hands_

_ There's so much here that I don't understand_

I wake up next to Sterling, sunlight filtering in through the dark windows. I watch the dust in the air dance for awhile before carefully raising to my feet and tiptoeing out into the hallway, trying not to wake him up. I walk slowly down the corridor admiring the paintings on the walls and the beauty of the mansion. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierces my head. I double over, clutching at it as it throbs fiercely.

I don't understand what's happening to me.

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

I stand in the cemetery, mist swirling around me while a cool breeze tugs at my hair and sends my visible breath to drift away, while Tanner kisses Gleam passionately. I'm confused. Does he _mean_ that he loves me? Or… perhaps… he told her the same thing? Am I a fool to believe him?

"I think we should go back to the mansion," I say, awkwardly making my way towards them. After a few seconds they break apart. I see something flash in Tanner's eyes but it is there for to short a time. I continue. "We need to gather more supplies and regroup."

"I agree," Tanner says. We look at Gleam and after a few seconds of contemplation she nods and we head off. I glance at Tanner. Is he hiding something from me?

_ Your face saving promises_

_ Whispered like prayers_

_ I don't need them_

**Velvet, Age 16, District 8**

_ Because I've been treated so wrong_

_ I've been treated so long_

_ As if I'm becoming untouchable_

I sit there with my back pressed against an evergreen tree and my legs pulled towards my body as Roshan studies Hunter over through narrowed eyes. We haven't moved since yesterday, it would have been too dangerous to. Hunter's wound has barely healed at all; it isn't even completely closed up all the way.

"Will… will he be alright?" I ask quietly.

She looks to me, her expression somber. "I don't know."

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

_ Contempt loves the silence_

_ It thrives in the dark_

_ With fine winding tendrils that strangle the heart_

I leap out of the bushes and sink my axe into the neck of the squirrel before it has a chance to go anywhere. Grabbing the dead body, I take it back to where we are camping. Walley sits, propped up against a tree, observing the snow falling to the ground and playing around with his breath, trying to see how big he can get it and then watching it dance away on the breeze. I drop the squirrel down on the ground and sit a few feet away from him.

"Where's Thaddeus?" I ask.

"He went hunting," Walley replies, not taking his eyes off of the small, white ice crystals falling slowly to the ground as if they were traveling through water.

"Oh," I nod. After another minute of awkwardness I'm about to ram my head into the nearest tree in frustration. Frustration… I relish it but the second I glance at Walley it disappears.

"Well," He says finally. "I've never heard silence quite this loud."

"Walley, I need to talk to you about what happened yesterday with the fire." I blurt out.

"No," He says quickly. "You don't need to say anything."

"But I do," I repeat, crawling closer to him. "Walley, I like you."

"I know," He nods, suddenly finding the nonmoving forest very interesting.

"So…" I rub my neck. "Do… do you… I mean… do you-" He cuts off my question with a kiss that makes my insides tingle and sends a shiver of delight running down my spine. I've never felt anything so good.

_They say that promises_

_ Sweeten the blow_

_ But I don't need them_

_ No, I don't need them_

**Sky, Age 16, District 10**

_ I've been treated so wrong_

_ I've been treated so long_

_ As if I'm becoming untouchable_

I watch with narrowed eyes as Ryden rests precariously on the edge of the cliff, looking down at the abyss below. I stand behind him, the harsh wind of the mountains blowing my hair and trying to push me spiraling over the edge and to my doom. Sharp rocks loom far below, skeletons littering the floor of the gorge and blood tinting the stones red.

"That's a long way down," Ryden notices. Kicking a pebble over the ledge, we observe it as it tumbles downwards and breaks open on the cold floor below.

"It is," I nod.

"Imagine falling down that…" He mutters. "It'd be horrible…"

"Horrible things happen all the time." I shrug.

"What do you mean?" He asks, turning to me.

"I mean this is the Hunger Games," I whisper, stepping closer to him. "And we will all die in the end... all but one."

"What… what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that one way or another… you have to die." With one blow, I send him tumbling backwards over the edge of the cliff, plummeting to his doom. I watch as he falls, almost in slow motion. Sharp rocks impale him and his blood splatters the decaying bodies that litter the canyon. The second he hits the ground and his cannon sounds… I remember.

_ I'm a slow dying flower_

_ In the frost killing hour_

_ The sweet turning sour_

_ And untouchable_

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

We reach the mansion and I volunteer to go hunting. Vencitiy and Tanner look at me strangely since we have enough food that we got from the cornucopia to last us for weeks, but they let me go. I get my sword and stalk off into the forest, the birds chattering loudly in the trees. It's winter here, why don't they ever shut up? Suddenly, I see movement in the trees and I pull out a throwing knife. It moves again and I launch the dagger. It hits the deer in the leg and it tumbles to the ground. I'm there in an instant, pinning it to the ground and staring the terrified animal strait in the eyes.

"I suppose the others don't have to know I caught you…" I whisper while slowly lowering my knife closer to the mortified creature. This is going to be fun.

_ Oh, I need_

_ The darkness_

_ The sweetness_

_ The sadness_

_ The weakness_

_ Oh, I need this_

**Thaddeus, Age 16, District 3**

_ I need_

_ A lullaby_

_ A kiss goodnight_

I had a dream last night. I ran through the forest, but it wasn't like the forest here. I was summer and the trees were gorgeous and green, flowers bloomed and the moon hung in the night sky above. I slowed to a stop when I saw an odd mist rising up out of one of the flowers. The mist contorted and shifted until it took the shape of a human.

"Madilynn…" I breathed, stretching my hand out to touch her but it just went right through her.

_ Angel sweet_

_ Love of my life_

"Help me," She whispered. The voice was muffled and distant, not as if she were dead… more like she if was only in a different room. "Help me."

"How?" I yelled in frustration.

"Help me…" She repeated before a strong wind came and her image was taken away, leaving nothing but an empty space where she once stood.

Now, I watch Walley and Peregrine through the trees. I know what I must do. The only way to help Madilynn is if I win the Hunger Games, if I become the Victor. I have to win for her, and if I do then she'll be safe. I can save her.

"Hey, I'm going to go get something to drink," Walley says, rising to his feet. As he walks away she looks disappointed. I'll never get used to her having emotions, even if she barely has any at all. Of course, it won't really matter.

_ Oh, I need this_

**Walley, Age 14, District 7**

I kneel down beside the stream and prepare to raise the water to my lips when I'm cut off by a shriek. I'm on my feet in an instant, racing back to the place where I just was. Thaddeus has Peregrine pinned to the ground and with a knife at her throat, he is about to end her life.

No.

Without even thinking, I barrel into his side, knocking him off Peregrine. We tumble around on the ground, each of us trying desperately to get the upper hand. I'm thrust on the bottom and reach up, intending to gorge his eyes out with my thumb if I have to. I'm mentally prepared, but it doesn't matter. He jerks his face at the last second and my fingers end up in his mouth. I yell out in pain as he bites down hard, and my blood drips out of the sides of his mouth.

With a burst of strength I throw him off me, and we dive for the knife that he dropped. He gets there first. I elbow him in the face, successfully breaking his nose, and almost have him pinned when he throws me again. Turning the tables he leaps on top of me. I grab the hilt of the knife as he slowly brings it down towards my neck, fighting as hard as I can to keep myself from dying.

Almost at the last second, Peregrine runs over and with a mighty battle cry, brings her axe down hard on Thaddeus' neck. His cannon sounds and he falls onto his side, his head rolling away.

_ I'm a slow dying flower_

_ In the frost killing hour_

_ The sweet turning sour_

_ And untouchable_

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

_ Do you remember the way_

_ That you held me before_

_ All the trembling sweetness_

_ I loved and adored_

"Are you okay?" A familiar voice asks. I leap to my feet, but tumble to the ground again when the agony in my head doubles. It feels like someone is banging on it from the inside with a jackhammer. That's not a good feeling. I look up, the world slightly spinning, to see Tanner standing in front of me, his hands casually in his pockets and his head tilted to the side questioningly. I crawl away from him, but feel like I'm going to throw up. "Hey, Abby, relax, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Why should I believe you?" I ask quietly. It was meant to come out as a shout but instead comes as a whisper.

"Because," He says, leaning against the wall. "If I meant to kill you, then don't you think I would have done it already?"

Considering this, I lean against the wall and stop trying to get away from him. He has a point and moving isn't doing me much good. A sharp pain hits my skull and I clutch at it, as if I can find the source of the problem and tear it out with just my fingers. "What do you want?"

"Nothing, nothing," he says, sitting down next do me. "Well, it's just… I… well…"

"Spit it out," I hiss, still holding my head in my hands.

"I love you,"

"_Excuse me?_"

"I love you…" He leans forward and closes his eyes, as if he's expecting a kiss. I'm about to slap him but I don't really get the chance to. Sterling shows up and sinks a silver spear into his stomach. Tanner's eyes grow wide, and his mouth drops open. His lips move as if he's trying to say something but no words leave them. He slumps against the wall and his eyes slowly close. "If you see Ven… tell her I love her…" He says so quietly it's barely audible.

"I will," I promise. A smile crosses his lips. The picture perfect smile is caught fading as his cannon sounds. I look to Sterling as tears fall from my eyes. He embraces me and I know I should get lost in his warmth… but all I feel is ice.

_ Your face saving promises_

_ Whispered like prayers_

_ I don't need them_

_ No, I don't need them_

**Sky, Age 16, District 10**

_ I need_

_ The darkness_

_ The sweetness_

_ The sadness_

_ The weakness_

_ I need this_

All I can do is stare at what I've done. I've killed my Ryden. I'm a murderer. My hands stay strongly clenched into fists but my legs aren't as sturdy. I fall to my knees, tears streaming down my face and my body shaking so furiously that I have to hold myself up with trembling arms. Look at what I've done.

_ I need_

_ A lullaby_

_ A kiss goodnight_

_ Angel sweet_

_ Love of my life_

_ Oh, I need this_

I don't deserve this life. It should have been me to fall over this cliff to my doom. What have I done? What have I done? I murdered my Ryden, sent him plummeting to his doom with one swift push, as if it was nothing. How could I do that to him?

_Well is it dark enough?_

_ Can you see me?_

_ Do you want me?_

_ Can you reach me?_

I remember everything that passed between us, how stubborn I was when we first met. On the train ride I snapped at him for asking about my token, a flower given to me from my sister. During training and I was scared, he held me until I felt safe again. He filled my room with those beautiful flowers. And I pushed him off a cliff… all because I wanted to go home.

_ You better shut your mouth_

_ Hold your breath_

_ Kiss me now you'll catch your death_

_ Oh, I mean it_

_ Oh, I need this_

As I leap off the cliff my thoughts are simple. Life is funny, in a way. It takes so much to build a life, to get everything the way you want it to be. You do everything that you can to get what you want; you give everything for those you care about. Then one day it all gets taken away from you. You get no warning, and there is nothing you can do. Everything you worked so hard for gets ripped away from you and you realize that it was all for nothing… because one way or another you will loose everything. There is no alternative, no way out. There is no escape.

_ I'm a slow dying flower_

_ In the frost killing hour_

_ The sweet turning sour_

_ And untouchable…_


	14. Blood Moon

**Okay, so... this chapter may be a little graphic? A little. But Don't say I didn't warn you!**

* * *

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

Waking up to the sounds of tweeting birds and Sterling's warm body pressed up against me, I stand up slowly. I'm not very balanced and when I stand up my head spins. I have to prop myself against the bedpost to keep myself from falling. Once I get my bearings I slowly make my way over to the window. Using my sleeve to wipe off dust that seems to regenerate every morning, I look outside. All is normal in Hunger Games land.

…Or at least that's what I think until I watch a silver parachute drop out of the sky into the arena, right outside my window.

"There a parachute…" Sterling says groggily. I turn to find him sitting up, running his hands through his hair. He's so different now then he was when he was reaped on that horrible day.

"Go back to sleep," I say, walking over and gently pushing him back down into a laying position. "I'll go get the parachute."

"Okay…" He grumbles before drifting off almost immediately. Sterling isn't a morning person, as I've figured out. I slide on my boots and make my way down the hallway. I open the huge front doors and step out into the bitter morning air of the arena. My breath billows in the breeze as I skirt the mansion anxiously. What if the other tributes see me? I reach the courtyard where the parachute landed and pick it up off the grey stones. I almost drop it when I realize what was sent. I thought so. I knew I was right. But… does Sterling have to know? Surely he won't remember when he wakes up again, and if he does I can tell him it was a dream. Yes… he doesn't need to know.

**Walley, Age 15, District 7**

I sit at the base of an oak tree, cracking open nuts with a cold rock that I clutch in my hand and the plopping them in my mouth. I frown at the taste but know that I need the energy they'll give me. Peregrine sits nearby, her legs pulled up to her chest as she stares out at the white nothingness of the forest with her startling blue eyes that contrast with her black hair and olive skin.

"You're staring at me," she notices, not even looking at me.

"Yeah…" I admit.

"Why?"

"You're beautiful," I say quietly, speaking the truth. Slowly she turns to me her expression blank. I swear I see her lips twitch, as if they want to smile but don't quite know how. She opens her mouth as if to say something, but then closes it and turns back to keeping her vigil. I sigh and continue to eat my nuts.

**Gleam, Age 17, District 1**

I grin as the deer takes its last breath and its eyes glaze over. After the overnight torture session, its body has been reduced to a bloody pulp, but I purposefully did things like breaking bones that would put it through severe pain but would not kill it. I don't think I missed any of the bones. Or maybe I did. Oh well, it doesn't matter now. Just for the fun of it, I cut its stomach open and drench myself in the contents. It'll make it less likely for other animals to scent me now… and it's ever so enjoyable.

Tanner died yesterday and I have a feeling that Vencitiy won't be very interesting in an alliance now that he's gone. Besides, she's horrible company. It's such a shame Tanner died, it was so much fun to toy with him. Meh, I'm over it.

As I stalk through the forest I drip blood and it seeps into the snow. Glancing up at the sky, I watch in horror as the bright morning slowly fades dark. In only a few minutes I'm standing in the night, a full moon hanging low in the star spangled heavens above and a cold wind tearing through the forest and whipping my golden hair against my face. It continues on until the moon turns blood red, painting the forest scarlet along with it.

**Raith, Age 17, District 1**

I first found Gleam in the forest when I heard the sounds of the dying animal. I followed the noise to where she stood torturing it and I watching for hours as she slowly drained the life out of the beast. In the end, it died a painful death and even after its passing she slit it open and coated herself in its blood. I'm not very squeamish… but it was the most disturbing thing that I've ever seen in my life.

She looks up at the sky as the moon changes color and I hear the howls of a wolf pack shatter the ominous silence. They're close, but Gleam doesn't seem to notice. She continues on and I follow her for several more minutes, keeping to the shadows a safe distance behind her.

That's when the first wolves erupt from the undergrowth, jaws snapping and dripping with saliva. Their demonic red eyes glow and they stand at the size of humans. Their glistening black fur glints in the light as the leader of the pack pins Gleam to the ground and stares her straight in the eyes. She screams at the top of her lungs and thrashes about madly, her eyes filled with sheer terror. This only encourages the mutts more.

What proceeds next happens in a matter of seconds. They go for her arms and legs first, clamping their powerful teeth down on her body and twisting and jerking their heads back and forth until her limps rip off. One of them snatches her right leg and darts off before going to fight for it with two others, each grabbing one end of the limb as if in a gory version of Tug-O-War. Some of the larger wolves dig into her stomach, her guts spilling out over the ground and staining their muzzles crimson. She stays conscious for the entire ordeal, shrieking until she finally looses her voice. Finally, the leader decides to take pity on her. Diving for her neck, he digs his fangs into her flesh and rips out her throat, prancing away with it held victoriously in its jaws. The others follow, leaving her remains behind to litter the forest floor.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I hear the wolves howling in the distance and moments later I hear the cannon blast. I feel something that I have never felt before: fear. It crawls along my spine and freezes my skin, causing Goosebumps to arise along my arms. It twitches and breathes inside my chest and sinks into my very soul. Crawling next to Walley, I bury my face in his shirt and clutch onto him like a lifeline. Terror rocks my soul like something that I've never before felt. He wraps his arms around me tightly and whispers words in my ear, but I don't hear them.

I hate wolves. My parents told me that when I was very little, shortly after my little brother was born, I followed one of the neighborhood cats out of the district and into the woods. They say they found me surrounded by wolves three days later, seconds away from being mauled to death. They found me before the wolves could hurt me, but I was never the same after that. I grew smarter and excelled at mathematics and science. But I felt nothing. I can't remember a time before it, but they said I once felt happiness, once felt love. It is the wolves to blame for my difference; it is the wolves to blame for my suffering. I never felt anything for them until now.

But now I fear them.

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

I woke up this morning and just sitting up hurts. Roshan says that the sponsors sent us some medicine and without it I probably would have died. I can't stop thanking them every other second. They saved my life. Velvet is off hunting for our lunch while Roshan and I sit on the ground at our camp, not really doing anything.

A second scream pierces the night air. It's close. Roshan's head snaps up from where she sits and her eyes meet mine, both of us thinking the same thing. "Velvet!" Roshan yells as another cry sounds. It's definitely her. A wolf howls close by and Roshan leaps to her feet. As she attempts to race past me, I grab her ankle from where I sit and she tumbles to the ground. She struggles against my grip and I pull her backwards towards me.

"If wolves caught her, there is nothing you can do," I hiss, cradling her in my arms and covering her mouth with my hand. "Except stay quiet." Her breathing is fast-paced and panicked, and I can feel her heart pounding against her chest. We listen for what feels like hours as Velvet's wails reach our ears. Tears are falling from Roshan's eyes like raindrops when her cannon finally sounds. My heart tears in half as I force Roshan to stay where she is with me. No matter how much it hurts, we can't move, we can't make a sound. We can't breath. They'll hear us.

It doesn't matter whether we make sounds or not, however, they find us anyway. We see their eyes first, glowing in the darkness like beacons in the night. Their bodies follow, sleek blood-stained pelts shining in the moonlight and tails lashing back and forth. Their fur bristles when they see us and as they slowly stalk closer I rise painfully to my feet and walk to meet the leader. He stops with his muzzle barely an inch from my face and I glare straight back at him. We hold this position for almost five minutes, the only sound the whispering of the wind through the trees and the rush of a nearby river. Finally, he turns silently around and the wolves head out, their paws pounding soundlessly against the snow-covered forest floor.

"How did you do that?" Roshan asks, staring up at me in disbelief.

"It's a gift." I reply bluntly. "Come on, we need to leave. This is their territory, so they are going to stay in this area. If we run into them again then I doubt they'll be as merciful."

**Sterling, Age 16, District 8**

I sit on the bed in our room, running myself over with Sherman while Abby stands at the dresser browsing through the contents of the jewelry box. I watch in shock as the moon turns red in the middle of the day. The first cannon comes almost immediately, and a few minutes later another sounds. I can hear the wolves howling in the Northwest forest and assume that they are what killed the two tributes. I mean, what else could it be?

"We shouldn't go outside until the sun rises again," I say thoughtfully.

"Yes," Abby nods quietly, not looking up.

"Are you alright, Abby?" I ask, looking at her with concern in my gaze.

"Yeah," She says not very convincingly. "Sterling, I'm perfectly-"

"ABBY!" I yell as her eyes roll back in her head and she falls to the floor with a thump. I'm at her side immediately and feel for her heartbeat. She's alive, just unconscious. But, what the heck am I supposed to do? I don't take care of people, people take care of me! Um… maybe, I should… Oh, I don't know, _I don't know!_

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

Hunter and I race alongside the river, our feet pounding against the ground. We've been at it for awhile, the dark mass of the forest blurring past us. I run without even breaking a sweat and am completely capable of continuing, but he isn't. He still isn't recovered enough from the knife wound to actually be running, and despite his obvious attempts to cover it up, I can tell he's in a lot of pain.

"Can we rest?" I pant, trying my best to look tried and out of breath.

"Sure," He says looking at me sympathetically and slightly gladly that he gets the chance to rest. "But we need to keep going as soon as possible."

"Okay," I agree, leaning against the trunk of a pine. We stand in silence for a few minutes, Hunter resting his hands on his knees and me watching him through curious eyes. "You can't say that it doesn't hurt."

"I'm not saying that."

"You loved her?" I ask, tilting my head to the side. He looks up at me, sweat dripping from his forehead.

"Yes."

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

I watch through one of the mansion's windows as Raith opens the door to the tool shed and steps inside. I'd almost completely forgotten about him. After all, I've been kind of focused on other things lately. Like, for instance, the fact that my Tanner is _dead_. I don't know who or what killed him, but when I find it, its going to wish that it never existed. I pick up my knives and hide them in my sleeves before heading out.

I reach the shack with my breath billowing before my face and lay my hand on the ice cold metal handle. I take a deep breath and the door creaks open. Stepping inside the stuffy, somehow warm building, I find myself surrounded my shelves and shelves of dangerous tools. Raith stands in the corner, holding a javelin, ready to throw it straight at my head. I'm faster. My knife sinks into his neck and he falls to the ground, the blood spilling out of him the same color as the moon. I dodge his spear and it sinks into the wall. I turn on my heels and his cannon sounds as I stalk away through the forest back towards the mansion.

I'm no longer here to make friends.

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

I wake up with Sterling bending over me, anxiety plastered to his face as he nervously rolls Sherman up and down his arms. "Sterling…?" I grumble. He looks at me excitedly. "What… what's going on? The last thing I remember is… telling you that I'm perfectly fine."

"You passed out," He answers. "And obviously you're _not_ perfectly fine. Abby, what's going on?"

"I don't know," I lie. "It's no big deal, I'm sure it's just the flu or something."

"People pass out from the flu?" He asks, confused. "I mean, I wouldn't really know because I've had all of my shots that hobos- I mean, less privileged people, can't afford."

"Yes," I say through gritted teeth. I can't tell him. I just can't.

"Well…" He says slowly. "Alright… but promise me that you aren't keeping anything from me, okay?"

I take a deep breath. "I can't promise that."


	15. Lullaby

**What is this? Another family chapter? You bet! I hope you guys like it. The song is Lullaby by Nickleback. **

**Warning: Sad, possibly infuriating at some points**

* * *

**Camilla, Sky's Younger Sister**

_ I know the feeling_

_ Of finding yourself stuck out on the ledge_

Have you ever had to sit by while your sister made the two biggest mistakes of her life… all in the same hour? One of them was her last mistake. And there was nothing I could do. I could tell what was coming, I could _feel_ it. I know my sister to well; I could tell what she was going to do. And I wish so much that I couldn't. I watched helplessly as Sky, my older sister with a will as strong as diamond, threw herself off a cliff. She was all that I had. Now I'm alone. Ryden's family won't even let me stay with them anymore. The second Sky did that to him I had to dodge flying kitchen knives on my way out. I watched from the town square as my sister committed suicide, and everyone could see me crying. All alone, with no one to help me. I'm all alone.

"Package," A peacekeeper with a deep voice says. I reach up with shaking hands and take the small white box from him. Saying nothing more, he heads off to go do other things. Slowly, I open the simple, cardboard box. Inside sits a gentle beautiful flower with delicate petals and a bright green stem. A single teardrop falls from my eyes and onto my sister's blood-stained token. Picking it up delicately, I hold it close to my heart. It's all I have now.

**Silk, Velvet's Older Brother**

I sink the blade deeper into my skin and grit my teeth as my heart lurches at the sight of my own blood. They tell me she died. And I did nothing. I didn't even watch. I'm a monster. How could I do that to her, my own sister? They say a wolf mutt with one dead eye tore off her head in one quick, fluid motion. I disgraced her. If it had been me to go into the Games, she would have never moved from that TV screen. How could I let her down like that?

_And there ain't no healing_

_ From cutting yourself with the jagged edge_

**Millie, Ramona's Younger Sister**

No one remembers my sister. I watched personally as they took down her picture in school that hung for her Fifty Meter Dash record and replaced it with the face of some obscure boy. My eyes wouldn't even register his image. It's like the world is trying to replace her with others.

However, I remember my sister, and I remember a brighter time. If a wound doesn't kill you then it will only make you stronger. I am not dead yet. The pain in my heart feels like a black hole, sucking out my emotions and replacing them with agonizing darkness. During the rainy season, I'll sit by my window and watch the grey clouds floating overhead, crying down on my home. I know that no matter how strong a storm may be the sun will always come back out again. I'm sure of it.

_ I'm telling you that_

_ It's never that bad_

_ Take it from someone who's been where you're at_

**Emiline, Vencitiy's Younger Sister**

"Emiline!" Cyrina pounds on my bedroom door with her fists. I curl up even tighter in the corner, letting the sobs escape my mouth. I don't care who hears. It will make it feel better, if they hear my pain. "The people from the Capitol are almost here to do the do the interviews with us, you need to get out here, now!"

"No," What was meant to come out as a snap comes out instead as a whisper. I told my sister to let someone volunteer for her, that she couldn't leave me. She didn't listen. I even promised that if she stayed I'd watch the whole thing with her and I wouldn't cry once. She still went.

_ Laid out on the floor_

_ And you're not sure_

_ You can take this anymore_

**Sabrie, Oplarran's Younger Sister**

_ So just give it one more try_

_ To a lullaby_

_ And turn this up on the radio_

I think I understand now. He had to leave me, didn't he? He had no choice. And… look what happened. That stupid Fate took my brother away from me! And he was killed! This is Fate's fault. It's not mine. Or… maybe it is. Did I do something wrong? Was I the reason he had to leave? What if I'm the reason he's gone…?

**Orlando, Walley's Best Friend**

I don't want my bro to die. It wasn't his fault that I'm an Avox; it was my own for not realizing what was wrong with our plan. I failed all of us. But that's not the problem now. I don't want him to be alone. He has Peregrine for now, sure, but I don't trust her. She's too unpredictable, a wild card. She isn't there, really. She's different. There is nothing wrong with being different, if it's in a god way. But, she's… _distant_… almost supernatural. She doesn't fit into this world.

_ If you can hear me now_

_ I'm reaching out_

_ To let you know that you're not alone_

**Liena, Tanner's Younger Sister**

How could he abandon me? Why did he act like he couldn't hear me when I told him that the boy was going to hurt him? Or that the girls could not be trusted? He could hear me, I know he could.

_"He never loved you,"_ A gruff voice whispers in my ear. Panicked, I turn to find no one standing there. _"He left because he hates you. Why didn't he _hear_ you? He didn't want to. Why would anyone? You are worthless."_

"I'm not worthless!" I shriek, picking up a lamp and hurling it in the direction the voice seems to be coming from. I fall to my knees, crying into my hands. Why can't I see them?

_ And you can't tell_

_ I'm scared as hell_

_ Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

**Cade, Jessamine's Best Friend**

_ So just close your eyes_

_ Honey here comes a lullaby_

_ Your very own lullaby_

She's only sleeping. No matter what I hear from the muffled voices of those around me, I know they are lying. She's only sleeping. Even as I stand at her funeral and watch as her body is slowly lowered into the ground, I know she isn't dead. When people speak now it's as if they are underwater. I hear their voices but they don't register, don't make sense. She can't be dead. She was talking about me, she loves me. And I love her. And true love can't die. It never looses. She's only sleeping.

She's only sleeping.

**Adeline, Madilynn's Younger Sister**

_ Please let me take you_

_ Out of the darkness and into the light_

_ Cause I have faith in you_

_ That you're gonna make it through another night_

I didn't get to meet my half-sister before she died. She didn't even know I existed. I watched it happen on the television. Momma says she was truly an angel, with a voice that flowed like honey and a shining heart of gold. Have you ever had someone related to you die, but you didn't know them that well? When Madilynn died, it was like watching myself die. When I watched her go, it was like all of the hopes and dreams that I would have had in the future, but have not yet discovered were murdered right there along with her for the whole world to see. It's an interesting thing, mourning someone you've never met. But it doesn't matter, because you might as well have met them. I can see her in my mother, her wavy brown hair and muscular build. I can her in myself, my matching dark brown eyes and soft skin. And I see her in the pain in everyone's eyes, the tears that form whenever we see her name or her face up on the TV screens around the District.

_Stop thinking about_

_The easy way out_

_There's no need to go and blow the candle out_

_Because you're not done_

_You're far too young_

_And the best is yet to come_

**Amber, Ivy's Younger Sister**

_So just give it one more try_

_To a lullaby_

_And turn this up on the radio_

"Ivy is gone…" I hear my mother whisper, as she looks out the window and rocks back and forth in the rocking chair. "She isn't coming back this time."

"Mom…" I say slowly approaching her, my twin sister, Anna, at my side. "Please, you need to get up."

"She's dead…" She murmurs, rubbing her palms against the arm of the chair. The entire underside of her arm has been rubbed raw. "My daughter is dead…"

"Heather can't take care of us by himself!" Anna says, placing her hand on my mother's shoulder. She continues rocking and doesn't even look up. It's like we aren't even here.

"Just give it up…" I mutter, turning around, with Anna on my heels. "Ivy isn't coming back… neither is Mom…"

**Alien, Eclipse's Best Friend**

_If you can hear me now_

_I'm reaching out_

_To let you know that you're not alone_

Yes, I watched my best friend die. Yes, it hurts like nothing I've ever felt before. No, I could have done something. No, I didn't do anything. Yes, I regret it. No, no one will remember him in the future. No, he died on the second day and because of this he is not memorable. No, I think that he deserves to be remembered. No, no one else agrees with me. Yes, I think that everyone deserves to be remembered. Yes, I let my best friend die. No, I don't deserve to be remembered.

**Michelle, Hunter's Younger Sister**

I hear a knocking on the door and tear myself away from the TV to answer it. I open the dusty door knob to find a camera crew standing behind it.

"Hello, are you Michelle Putnar?" A very colorful lady asks, grinning toothily.

"Yes," I nod quietly.

"We are here to perform your interview," She explains. Without even asking, she shoves past me and stops dead when she sees the quality of my house. The entire thing is covered in dust and spider webs have formed in every corner. Several huge cracks run the lengths of the walls and the wallpaper is peeling off on the edges. "W-where could we do the interviews?"

"The living room," I reply instantly, not wanting to be away from the TV any longer. "Follow me." I lead the down the hallway and through an archway on the left. "Don't touch anything wood, you might get splinters." I say. I settle down in a chair in front of the TV while they set up their equipment.

"So, Michelle," The lady says once the cameras are rolling. The good thing is that the interviews aren't live; they can retake things if they need to. Thank the lord. "What is your relationship to Hunter Putnar?"

"I'm his sister," I reply.

"And how did you feel when he was reaped?"

"Sad,"

"Would you care to explain?"

"Well…" I pause to think for a moment. "I felt… helpless. There was nothing I could do to save him. And I knew that nothing would ever be the same again."

"Interesting," She nods, her purple curls bouncing. "And what have you been doing since he's left?"

"Watching the Games," I reply honestly. She looks at me as if she's waiting for more, so I continue. "And saving up money to help him. He needs to come back home to me." In the two weeks he's been gone I've been reduced to skin and bones. I can't last like this much longer.

"I understand," She says. "If you could pick one word to describe how you feel overall during this event, what would it be?"

I have to think for a few seconds before I can answer. "Terrified."

_And you can't tell_

_I'm scared as hell_

_Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

**Helen, Sterling's Mother**

"My son is going to come home because he is the best," I say forcefully. "_No one_ can compete with his spirit and strength."

"I see," The man from the Capitol nods. "And if you could tell him one thing, what would it be?"

"I would tell him to stop at the grocery store on the way home because we need milk." I reply. A few of the Capitol people chuckle. "And… also, I'd really like for him to hurry up and get home, because… I miss my boy."

_So just close your eyes_

_Well honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby_

**Mercy, Thaddeus' Neighbor**

_Well everybody's hit the bottom_

When he was alive, I used to watch Thaddeus pass by my house everyday, with his beautiful brown eyes glittering in the light. He would always come back with a paper bag and I didn't know what it was until he was reaped. Thaddeus was a drug addict. And whose fault was that? It was mine. It was _my_ party that he first used drugs at, but they weren't mine. My 'friend' brought them; I didn't know that they were going to be there. Thaddeus and I had been friends once, we grew up together. On hot Summer Days we'd go into the woods and swim in a nearby lake. We'd splash around in the water and see who could hold their breath the longest. It was my fault that he became a druggy. If I hadn't thrown that party then he would have gotten his wish and he would have been at his house when the fire started. Maybe things would have been different; maybe he would have smelled the fire and gotten his family out safely. Or maybe he would have discovered the fire and stopped it all together. Yes… I did love him. I'm just glad… that he can be with his angel. I look up at the sky that stretches above me. Heaven is a little brighter now.

**Vailea, Elias' Younger Sister**

_And everybody's been forgotten_

My brother made no mark on the story that they're calling this years Hunger Games. He wasn't expected to get past the blood bath and he didn't. Of course he didn't. His stomach was slashed and his guts spilled out of his body. He didn't stand a chance. No one remembers him, or Ramona, even. Our district isn't anything special; it's just a place for the blood bathers to live. We barely ever win; there is nothing memorable or unique about us. We're just… the expendables.

**Leo, Raith's Younger Brother**

_When everybody's tired of being alone_

First it was Quartz, now it's Raith. Anyone else I care about want to die? Perhaps it'll be me next, walking up on that stage and getting stabbed through the heart by another Career. That's how it seems to happen, first to his fiancé and now my brother himself. Maybe it _will_ be me next. Maybe I _want_ it to be me.

**Kestrel, Peregrine's Younger Brother**

_Yeah everybody's been abandoned_

Why? Was I not good enough for her? She'll love Walley but not her own brother? Is there something wrong with me? When she said that she felt something, I did, too. It brought everything back, the longing for her to love me and the questions about why she doesn't. So, what did I do wrong? I didn't mean to make her hate me. I just wanted her to care. She's my sister… why doesn't she care about me? She cares about him. Why not me?

No. I don't need her love, I never have before. Why would I need anyone's love? It doesn't mean anything, its not going to change how things are. How do I know that she even felt anything? It could have very well been an elaborate stunt to gain sponsors. That was what it was. Peregrine does _not_ feel. She is as cold as ice and as hard as stone. She's not my sister. She's a monster.

**Stanley, Roshan's Younger Brother**

Roshan got picked for the Games on TV. Why? What did she do wrong? Was it because she hunts? She should be allowed to hunt; it's what she does best. Sometimes she'll bring me blueberries back from the forest along with her animals. I love blueberries. I haven't had any since she left, but Dad promises that when Roshan get back she'll get me a whole basket full of them. But I've seen what happens to the kids on the TV. What if Roshan doesn't come back?

_And left a little empty handed_

**Darya, Gleam's Mother**

My baby. My baby is dead! How could they let that happen to her? She was supposed to win, like her father did! She should have won! I don't understand what happened. My baby… my baby is dead. What am I going to do? There is nothing left for me, except my husband. My idiot husband, who sent his daughter off to her death. He told me that she was ready, he promised me that she'd come back. I'm leaving him. Then we'll see who has nothing left.

_So if you're out there barely hanging on_

**Molly, Ryden's Younger Sister**

You don't push people off cliffs, whether you remember them or not. Kill them any other way except that. Cut out their throat or blow them to bits with a bomb, don't throw them off a cliff because on the way down they have time to think about everything that they did wrong, everything that they regret. They are in pain before they even hit the bottom.

_So just give it one more try_

_To a lullaby_

_And turn this up on the radio_

**Alexi, Abrielle's Best Friend**

_If you can hear me now_

_I'm reaching out_

_To let you know that you aren't alone_

I didn't think she could last. She's gone further then anyone could have ever guessed, but she can't win. She'd have to personally kill someone; Abby just doesn't have it in her. Everyone in the District is starting to get a little hopeful. I mean, surely the Gamemakers will have a little sympathy, with what's happening to her and Sterling. She shouldn't be in there at all, though, its just wrong. I haven't taken off the necklace she gave me since she was reaped; it stays around my neck every minute as I watch her struggle for survival on the TV. I know something no one else knows. My best friend isn't coming back.

**Sandy, Dillon's Best Friend**

I can't believe that happened to him. I keep sitting there in front of the TV expecting him to show up and say that he was just kidding. He was always so sweet and nice. I thought that one day we'd grow old together, have kids maybe… that can't happen now.

_And you can't tell_

_I'm scared as hell_

_Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

**Anthony, Dream's Older Brother**

He got what he deserved, the Thaddeus boy. He seems too much more… innocent… in death, it's unsatisfying. It almost hurts how once someone dies you realize what they were about. You think back to how you hated them, or how you loved them even, and think how wrong you were about them. There was so much more to them then you could have ever known when they were alive. So I mourn my sister, but I do not weep. Her death has made me realize that I want people to know all of me before I die. I don't want to pass just for everyone to realize that they never really knew me at all.

_So just close your eyes_

_Well honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby_

**Monique, Taylor's Younger Sister**

I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late, he was already gone. Momma tells me that there was nothing that I could have done but I can't stop wondering if that was true. Maybe there was something that I could have done. Is my brother dead because of me? Whenever Momma sings me goodnight now she always cries. It makes me sad to see how hard she's taking it. Every once in awhile I'll find her holding our family picture, the one where Taylor had on the funniest face because he was about to sneeze. I miss him. I miss him more then anything.

_Well honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby_


	16. Hurricane

**The song is Hurricane by 30 Seconds To Mars. **

**Warning: Extreme sadness**

* * *

**Walley, Age 15, District 7**

_No matter how many times that you told me you wanted to leave_

"What's your family like, Walley?" Peregrine asks me at random. I turn to her from where I stand on a large grey boulder. She holds her hand up to shield her eyes from the light and it casts ominous shade down on her gentle features, her eyes glimmering from the shadows. "I mean, they should be doing the interviews… what's your family like?"

"Well," I say slowly, sitting down on the rock. "I live with my aunt and uncle."

"What happened to your parents?"

"Killed," I say quietly, my breath billowing in the air in front of my face.

"How?" She asks, sitting beside me, her warm body pressed up against mine.

"Peacekeepers," I pick up a small pebble and chuck it off into the distance, not bothering to watch where it goes. The clattering it makes when it hits another stone sends a flock of birds flying into the sky.

"That's too bad," She says quietly. I look at her, trying hard to figure out if she means it, but as usual she only wears a poker face. "You aunt and uncle… do they love you?"

"We're family," I say. "Of course they do."

"My brother doesn't love me," Peregrine whispers. I look at her with concern in my eyes. "Kestrel… he hates me because I never loved him."

"I can understand that," I nod.

"But it wasn't my fault," She says, her voice rising. "It wasn't my fault that I couldn't feel anything."

"I know," I rest my hand on her shoulder. There is a long pause in which the only sounds are the whistling of the wind in the trees and the chatter of the birds.

"What am I feeling, Walley?"

"… Guilt."

**Roshan, Age 13, District 9**

_No matter how many breathes that you took you still couldn't breathe_

"Wow…" I say as we emerge from the snowy forest. An ice-covered lake stretches before us, the sun glinting off its frozen surface. "What's that in the middle?" A small black dot sits in the center of the lake. I squint my eyes to look closer and the object appears to be shivering. Suddenly, it lets out a high-pitched howl. "Oh my God, Hunter, it's a wolf pup!" I make a move towards the lake but Hunter grabs my arm and holds me back.

"Roshan, this is just a trick," He tells me. "It's a mutt, look at its eyes."

"It's a baby animal," I snap. I struggle violently and after slapping him in the face, slip out of his grasp. "And I'm going to go help it." I take a few steps onto the ice. It feels thin under my feet and they almost slide out from under me. Hunter tries to pull me back but I'm out of his reach.

**Vencitiy, Age 17, District 4**

_No matter how many nights that you'd lie wide awake to the sound of the poison rain_

I walk forward, my feet making no sound on the plush carpet of the corridor, until I reach the spot where the blood stains the walls. Ever so slowly I fall to my knees and touch the scarlet stain gently with my hand. I look at my palm and find the crimson liquid rubbed off on my fingers.

_Where did you go?_

I raise my hand to my lips and close my eyes. This is the blood of Tanner. What did they do to him?

_Where did you go?_

I stand, letting my hand fall to my side. Pulling a knife from its sheath on my belt I continue on down the hallway, not even looking back. Someone did this to him. I'm going to find them. And they are going to pay.

_Where did you go?_

**Sterling, Age 16, District 8**

_As the days go by, the night's on fire_

"Hey beautiful," I say, coming up behind Abby who sits on the bed, and kiss her neck delicately. She doesn't take her eyes off of the window and her expression doesn't change.

"Not today, Sterling," She murmurs quietly. The way her voice sounds makes me flinch. She admitted that she's hiding something from me. But what? And why does she think she needs to hide anything from me at all?

"Tell me," I say.

"No," She replies simply, still not facing me. I drop my gaze and turn, not feeling like looking at her, no matter how beautiful she is.

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

_Tell me would you kill to save a life_

"Roshan, get back here," I demand as she makes her way further out on the frozen lake. "It's not safe, the further you go, the thinner the ice is going to get." She ignores me and makes slow progress until she stands before the shivering creature. Kneeling down, she reaches forward to touch the puppy but it leaps to its paws and races towards me instead. It skitters onto the snow and stands behind my legs, looking at Roshan from its hiding spot.

"I'm on my way back, then," She smiles. She lifts her foot to start moving back towards the shore, but the second she places it down I hear a deafening _crack_ and fractures begin to form on the surface of the lake.

_Tell me would you kill to prove your right_

"Roshan, run!" I shout, waving to her frantically. She pushes hard off the ice and it breaks away, sinking into the darkness below. It keeps up with her as she runs, the water chasing after her like a wolf hunting its prey. Suddenly, it stops and she slows down to look back at the now exposed liquid occupying the lake below the sheet of ice on the surface. She taps her foot on the ice and shrugs.

"That was-" Her sentence is cut off by a scream as the ground collapses below her and she falls into the lake under her feet.

_Crash, crash_

"Roshan!" I shriek. I dart onto the ice without thinking, pulling off my jacket and leaping into the freezing waters after her. It seeps through my clothes and my skin, chilling me to the bone and causing goose bumps to form over every inch of my body. I can see her blurred outline deeper in, and dive after her. My ears pop and the deeper I go the slower my movements get and the harder it is to move at all. I finally reach her and wrap my arms around her waist. I kick hard with my legs, but our heavy load continues to drag me down. Roshan is unconscious, and a dead weight.

_Burn_

_Let it all burn_

"You cannot save her…" A voice whispers in my ear. In shock, I look up to find a misty figure floating in the water, her wavy brown hair flowing behind her and her fair skin covered in a gorgeous white dress. Madilynn. "You cannot save her, Hunter. Let her go." I try to argue, but water enters my mouth and attempts to choke me. "It is her time. Let her go." Madilynn rests a see-through hand on my shoulder and I'm renewed with strength. With one last look, I relinquish Roshan to the mercy of the lake and swim upwards to the surface of the water. I pull myself onto the ice and look back down. Her cannon sounds and I know that I will never see her again.

_This hurricane's chasing us all underground_

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

I move down the hallway, my feet making no sound against the carpet. Crouching down, I stroke the spot stained red by Tanner's blood. I frown down at it and look away. It is one thing to watch horrors like this on TV, it is another to see it in real life, to actually stand next to someone and watch them die.

"Abby, look out!" Sterling yells. Coming out of nowhere he leaps in front of me and falls to the ground almost instantly, a knife sticking out of his chest.

_No matter how many deaths that I die I will never forget_

"Sterling!" I scream. Looking up, I find Vencitiy standing in the hallway, her head tilted down to cast a terrifying shadow over her face and a throwing knife clutched in each of her hands. Rage overcomes me as I race towards her, dodging the knives she propels at me on the way. Tackling her, I pin her to the ground in seconds and snatch one of the knives out of her grasp.

"No…" She whispers. "Please don't kill me. I was wrong; I don't want to be here! I don't want to die… I just want to go home!"

"We all want to go home…" I hiss. I clutch the knife so tightly that my knuckles are white. Raising it slowly and then bringing its down at an angle, I slash her throat and watch silently as her blood mixes with Tanner's to stain the floor.

_No matter how many lives that I live I will never regret_

"Abby…" Sterling whispers. Shocked that he is still conscious, I rush to his side and cradle his head in my lap. "I love you." He says, blood trickling out of the side of his mouth.

"I love you to," I smile, tears dripping from my face onto his cheek.

"Tell me…" He pleads, tears welling up in his eyes. I take a deep breathe.

"I'm pregnant."

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

_There is a fire inside of this heart and a riot about to explode into flames_

I drag myself away from the lake and into the forest before collapsing at the base of a towering oak. Wrapping my jacket around me, I try hard to get warm. My fingers have turned blue and as the sun sinks in the sky I know that it isn't going to get any warmer, at least not until morning. I curl up on the ground, trying to save all the heat I have. Suddenly, I feel something coming up from behind me and turn around to find the wolf pup that Roshan had seen in the middle of the lake staring at me with glittering amber eyes.

"You're the reason she's dead," I growl. The pup whimpers and I immediately for bad for the little thing. "Alright, I'm sorry." He cheers up and runs over to me, His tail wagging. I can't believe how warm the pup is. "Hey, you want to sleep with me tonight?" He barks cheerfully and cuddles up close to me, his warm, furry body pressed up against my chest. Sighing I lie down next to him.

_Where is your God?_

I can't help thinking about Roshan, how she died. Maybe I could have saved her. I'm strong I might have been able to pull her back to the surface if I tried harder. I just needed to try harder.

_Where is your God?_

And then there is Madilynn. Thaddeus always did say she was an angel. But… was she really there? It was probably just a hallucination from the lack of oxygen. Yes, surely that was what it was. Or perhaps her image was just a figment of my imagination, conjured up unconsciously by my brain as a way to justify leaving Roshan behind. Or… maybe she was an angel…

_Where is your God?_

**Sterling, Age 16, District 8**

_As the days go by, the night's on fire_

"You didn't have to hide this from me…" I cough, staring up into Abby's beautiful face. A sharp pain throbs in my chest where the knife still sticks and I grimace. "Why… did you?"

_Do you really want_

"I…" She hesitates, her beautiful blonde hair falling to curl slightly at the ends. Reaching out with a shaky hand, I run the strands through my bloody fingers. "I was afraid."

_Do you really want me_

"We are all afraid…" I whisper. She lowers her gaze. "Hey, it's alright."

"No, it's not," She sobs, the pain finally showing in her expression. "I lied to you. Sterling, I love you, that's not alright!"

_Do you really want me dead or alive_

_To live a lie_

"I love you, too." I whisper, using my thumb to wipe a tear from her cheek. "Here…." With trembling fingers, I reach into my jacket and pull out Sherman. I place it in her hands and she looks at me, knowing what I'm saying by giving him to her.

_Tell me would you kill to save a life_

"Sterling, no…" She breathes, brushing the hair out of my face with delicate hands. "You… you're going to be alright… keep him!" She tries to give Sherman back, but I refuse to take it.

_Tell me would you kill to prove your right_

"No, I'm not… alright…" It's getting harder and harder to speak. "Take Sherman… give him to our child… let them know that I am still with them."

_Crash, crash_

"How do you know I'll make it out?" She whispers, her voice wavering.

_Burn_

"Because I promise you… you are going to make it out…" I say. I look up at her again, her breathtaking blue eyes and her flowing golden hair. "My mother always used to tell me that I was the most beautiful thing in the world… she was wrong. The most beautiful thing, Abby… is you."

_Let it all burn_

"I love you," She says so quietly it's almost inaudible.

"I love you, too."

_This hurricane's chasing us all underground_


	17. Louder Than Thunder

**Omg it's the last chapter again! Eek! The song that this entire story was named after, and the song that is featured in this chapter, is Louder Than Thunder by The Devil Wears Prada. So, without further ado, let us begin.**

**Warning: Sad**

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**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

_What would it take_

I sit on the edge of the bed, my hand resting on my stomach and my eyes set firmly out the window. I watch as a snowflake drifts to the ground, the white speck standing out against the green of the pines and the grey morning sky.

I find myself drifting off into memories, how I first met Sterling. I had been in the knot tying station in the Training Center when I heard Tanner and Walley talking to him. I'd looked up from what I was doing and watched as Tanner gave him tips on how to throw a spear. My eyes narrowed in suspicion as they walked away casually. Wanting to go see what had happened I made my way over to Sterling as he was pulling his spear out of the wall.

"Hi!" I said cheerily, wanting to convince him that I was just another one of the blonde bimbos that the Games seemed to get every year. I even said I was from the wrong district, but I don't think he noticed. "My name is Abrielle, but you can call me Abby. I'm the tribute from District Ten. It's nice to meet you, Sterling,"

And that was how it all had started, how I became pregnant, how I'm now carrying a child whose father is dead. A tear rolls down my cheek as I think of him dying in my arms, how he used his last breath to say he loves me. The guilt of not telling him about his child until he was on his death bed overwhelms me and I break into sobs, my eyes getting red and puffy and my breathing becoming labored.

Thoughts of what lies ahead bombard my mind. There are only four of us left. I don't want any of us to die, but I know that all three of them must if we are able to escape. _We…_ I'm carrying a child. I need to get my baby out of here, it's too dangerous. With only four of us, there can't be much time left here. In fact, today is most likely the last day. Today is going to be the last day… I'm going to leave here. Just like Sterling promised.

_For things to be quiet_

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I have never felt curiosity before, but now it picks at my mind and crawls under my skin. I glance over at Walley who crouches over his backpack, taking inventory of its contents. "Walley," I say finally. He looks up and smiles sweetly. "What are you afraid of?" There is a long silence.

"Death," He answers, going back to his pack.

"Death?" I tilt my head. "Why?"

"Because," He says slowly. "I don't know what lies after it."

"So?" I shrug.

"So," He says looking up. "There might be nothing. Nothing at all, just a black hole of emptiness."

"In that case you won't be conscious to know about it," I say.

"That's what scares me."

_Quiet like the snow_

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

_And I know, this isn't much_

I wake up to the wolf puppy licking my face. Chuckling slightly, I sit up. My clothes are still damp from the dive into the lake but I'm just happy to see that I'm still alive. My breath billows in front of my face as I sit up and stretch. The pup plops on my lap and looks up at me with glittering amber eyes and his tongue hanging out. My smile fades as I remember Roshan slowly drifting out of sight in the ice-cold waters. I might have been able to save her… and I didn't.

_But I know I could_

_I could be better_

The pup barks at me and I shake my head, as if trying to dispel the thoughts. "I agree." My stomach growls and I glance around looking for food. If only I had a bow and a full quiver, I'd be set. The pup leaps off my lap and starts sniffing around at the base of a tree. I crawl over to where he went and he barks at me.

"What?" I ask. Brushing away the snow, I find small leaves poking up through the soil. I grin. Using my bare hands to dig into the frozen ground, I scoop the dirt out of the ground until I pull out several roots I recognize as eatable. They are hard to swallow but I manage to get them down. Rubbing my slightly blistered hands together I lean up against the trunk of the tree and look out across the lake. Feeling my dry throat I stand up on tired legs and make my way towards the water. I punch a hole in the ice and cup my hands under the surface. Raising them to my lips, I take a sip of the freezing liquid and frown at the pain of swallowing something so cold.

Rolling onto my stomach I rest my head on my arms and think about what is left for me here in the arena. Three other tributes, that is. Peregrine is going to be the biggest threat, with her lack of emotions and obvious mental strength, she is dangerous. Then there is Walley, the boy from District Seven. I remember him. When Velvet and I had that shooting contest he pretended to be a sports reporter on the sidelines. I don't want the kid to get hurt, but he's going to have to die if I'm going to make it out. And of course there is Abrielle. Her boyfriend died yesterday, I saw his face in the sky. Sterling, his name was. The one with the lint roller as a token. Abby is the youngest of us, she's only fourteen. I really don't want to hurt her; she has a certain innocence about her that makes it impossible to want to cause her harm. I hope that Peregrine or Walley get to her first.

_I don't think I deserve it, selflessness_

Resting my right ear up against the ground I allow myself to close my eyes for a few moments. I'm bone-tired, probably a result from almost freezing to death and drowning. It's so tempting to just let myself slip away into sleep, but I know that I should stay awake since it's unlikely that the other tributes will be sleeping as well. All is silent except for the chattering of the birds in the trees. It's so calm here, not like how I always thought a Hunger Games arena would feel like if I ever got into one. Suddenly, I hear a rumbling sound so loud I yelp out in pain and leap to my feet, my hands clutches over my ears. It sounds like a wolf growling times two hundred, coupled with a cat dragging its claws down a chalkboard.

"AAHHHH!" I cry out, doubling over. As quickly as it came the noise stops and I'm left curled up on the ground.

**Walley, Age 15, District 7**

"What is that?" I shout to Peregrine.

"I don't know!" She yells back, pressing her hands over her ears. The noise cuts off abruptly and each of us pulls out our weapons, backs against each other, waiting for an enemy to spring forward. But the forest remains as still as it always is the world motionless against our blind panic.

"Something is happening…" I whisper. I feel her moving beside me and look over to see her beautiful blue eyes directly in front of mine. Without saying another word she leans in to kiss me, her soft lips pressing up against mine and causing a shiver of delight to run down my spine.

_Find your way into my heart_

That all stops when I feel the knife pierce my heart.

"Why…?" Is all I manage to say before I fall to my knees. Kneeling down herself, Peregrine grabs my chin with her hand and forces me to look into her eyes. They're filled with tears and determination.

"I felt something."

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

_All stars could be brighter_

I stand as his eyes glaze over and his limp body falls to the ground. I hold my breath until his cannon sounds and study his face, his beautiful features that I have destroyed. I had to do it. I need to get home so I can apologize to my brother, tell him I love him. And I do love him. I turn and prepare to take steps away from the body… but I can't. Something holds me there, something rooted in the pit of my gut. It works its way up through my insides, gnawing at my heart until it hurts as if a blade had sliced open my stomach. I fall to my hands and knees and, with tears running down my cheeks, turn again to look at Walley's body. His empty blue eyes stare into the nothing. I gently close them and allow myself one last kiss.

"Goodbye," I whisper. I stand and walk away from him, and this time I don't look back.

_All hearts could be warmer_

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

I freeze beside the cornucopia when I hear the cannon sound. So it has begun. I grab what I can before darting back inside. I'm going to be ready for when they come, and they will come. Where else would the Gamemakers drive the tributes to besides here? I head back to my room and get all of my things together. I look out my window one last time and touch the side of the mattress Sterling slept on. If I focus hard enough I can still feel his warmth on the sheets. Slowly walking out into the hallway and closing the door behind me I know that after today nothing will ever be the same.

_What would it take_

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

_For things to be quiet_

The snow crunches under my feet as I walk through the forest, the evergreens towering over my head and an owl hooting somewhere in the distance. That's odd, owls are nocturnal. But I suppose nothing in this place is actually natural, is it? The Gamemakers created all of it just for the tributes, just for us.

_Quiet like the snow_

As I go I think over all of the tributes lost, thought I'm not entirely sure why. Gleam was crazy, I could always see it by the look in her eyes and the way she twisted her words. She wanted more then anything to win; it was so easy to see. Her district partner, Raith, wanted it just as badly as she did, if not more so. I heard about what happened with his fiancé and Jessamine's brother. Speaking of Jessamine, she was always an odd one. She grew up a Career but was never quite there. Oplarran didn't even belong with the Careers; he was the odd one out. He was their rock. I took him out and the entire Career alliance came crumbling. Now there are none of them left. Madilynn was sweet, a little too much if you asked me. A little off, too. Thaddeus had some serious issues, but he was a good tribute and a strong fighter. I respect him for that. Vencitiy was the girly-girl of the Games. I don't know how she made it further then the other Careers. Tanner was a jerk. That's all I have to say about him. Ramona and Elias were… nonexistent. No one even noticed them, except for me. They had great potential; it was such a shame when they went down. My district partner always mourned over that dead dog of his. I wonder how that felt. Ivy's life burned short and bright, her good start slowly fading away like the ink on the pages of the old books that she read. Walley is dead because of me. I don't want to think about that, though. Velvet had talent. Such a waste. Sterling was… unique. I know I was surprised by how far Roshan got, she was the youngest in this year's Hunger Games. Hunter is still out there, plotting my demise. I don't really mind, though. I'm plotting his. Sky had a dark secret hidden in her soul. Ryden was the only one she let in. I don't believe Abrielle is a threat to me, although I do wonder how she managed to get this far. Dillon was a simple-minded person. He had no bravery but he did have a heart. I wish I had one. Dream was too arrogant and it got her killed. Taylor was a bit too relaxed for my taste.

_Are we meant to be empty-handed?_

I'm not entirely sure how long I've been walking, but it must have been several hours, for the sun is at its peak in the sky and the day is at its warmest. I climb one final ridge before I reach something I had almost completely forgotten about: the mansion.

**Hunter, Age 18, District 9**

I slowly stumble into the cemetery. My legs feel like lead. Honestly I'm not sure why I chose to come back here, but I knew that I needed to keep moving; otherwise one of the others might have found me. After all, someone or something did just kill one of us. It was most likely Abrielle that died; the poor thing. I shrug it off and sit down, leaning up against one of the tombstones.

_I know I could_

_I could be better_

I can't help but getting a little paranoid at this point. The other tributes could be anywhere now, at the frozen lake or even the mansion. They could be watching me for the shadows right now. I don't know who's left now, most likely Peregrine and Walley but you can never be sure. I feel like I should be doing something more then just sitting here. Maybe I should try to hunt down the others or at least be searching for food. I know that it's pointless, though. Today is the final day; the Gamemakers will no doubt drive us together. And even if I wanted to look for the others, I wouldn't have a place to start. And as for food… if I survive I'll be getting out of this arena today. I'll return to the Capitol and eat some of their disgustingly delicious food before they send me on the Victor's tour.

_I don't think I deserve it, selflessness_

As I sit there I look up at the sky to find the light dimming and becoming darker, until the stars appear and a blood-red moon takes the place of the sun, painting the cemetery a shade of crimson.

The pup runs over to me, barking. I have no idea why, but he followed me all the way from the lake back to where I am now. I had to cross the entire arena to get here; I don't know why he bothered. Nonetheless, he continues barking at me. Or maybe… not me. He is looking towards me but his eyes are a little to the left, looking at the tombstone. Slowly turning my head I read the name on the tombstone in utter disbelief. _Velvet Ross. _

_Find your way into my heart_

My heart drops into my stomach and I scurry away from the tombstone. I keep going until my back hits something and my hand hits empty space. I almost tumble backwards but catch myself. Sitting on my knees, I find an empty tomb below me, the ground carved out six feet under the ground. I don't think this was here before when I first came here to the cemetery with the Careers, the empty tomb that is. Craning my neck around the grey stone I read the name. _Hunter Putnar._ That's my name. I leap to my feet and back away in horror, almost falling over in my haste.

Just as this happens, something else does, too. The same noise from before fills my ears and I slap my hands over them, trying to block out the nightmarish sound. It breaks through my barrier, however, piercing my soul and rocking me to my very core. I hold one of my hands in front of my eyes to find blood on my fingers. I see something moving in the background and my hands drop to my sides because the bodies of the dead tributes… and coming back to life. Their hands shout out of the ground and they claw their way out of the grave, their flesh rotting and covered in bugs and dirt, and their bloodshot eyes set right on me. But what scares me the most is the corpse of Velvet. It's as if my worst nightmare has come to life. Her black hair is thinned out to reveal her green-tinted skin underneath that is eroding away. I can see her rib cage and her bones show so much its sickening. When an earthworm crawls out of her eye socket and onto her cheek I can't take it anymore. I turn tail and run, as fast as I possible can.

_All stars could be brighter_

They follow me. All of them. Their decaying feet slap against the snow and odd rumbles and shrieks escape their throats. I think I'm finally loosing them just as Gleam's corpse drops down from one of the trees and wrestles me to the ground. I throw her off but don't have time to get up and keep running before Velvet reaches me, her disgusting hands grabbing at my neck and cutting off my oxygen. I see the pup race by but the zombies ignore him completely. He doesn't even glance back as he bolts away. The last thing I see before I loose consciousness are Velvet's black, unforgiving eyes.

**Peregrine, Age 18, District 6**

I make my way around the corner and there she is just standing there, not armed or anything. Abrielle just stares at the picture on the wall, one of a beautiful garden full of blooming flowers and complete with a gorgeous sunrise in the background. Her hands rest on her stomach and I narrow my eyes in suspicion. I slowly take a few steps into the corridor and she doesn't even notice my presence, her blue eyes still fixated on the painting. I can't help but smile slightly. I might be able to go home.

_All hearts could be warmer_

But a cannon sounds, its blast slightly muffled from inside the mansion, causing her head to snap around and her eyes to look straight at me. I waste no time charging at her, a battle axe gripped in each of my hands. I raise one for a killing strike but she rolls out of the way at the last second and kicks my feet out from under me, sending me tumbling to the ground. I stand in time to see her darting out of sight.

My feet pound against the carpeted floor as I race after her, my hands swinging at my sides. I turn the corner without slowing down and suddenly a flash of silver flies at my neck. I lean backwards and the knife soars barely a centimeter above my eyes and sticks into the wall behind me. Abrielle is in a fighting stance a little ways away, a dagger clutched in each of her hands and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I have to get back home to my brother," I growl.

"I have to get back home," She replies in a matching tone. "For my child." My eyes widen as I realize why she had her hand on her belly before. She is pregnant with Sterling's baby. She leaps at the opportunity provided by my shock, sending two daggers at my hands. They both hit their targets, one cutting off the ring finger of my right hand and the other sinking deep into my palm. I scream out and drop my axes, the weapons hitting the ground along with my severed finger. She launches another knife and I leap out of the way just in time. I yank the knife out of my hand, blood dripping from its blade, and launch it back at her. It misses badly, shattering a nearby vase instead.

I have no weapons left and she has a belt full of knives. I'm not an idiot. Turning my back on her I race down another hallway, past a blood stain on the wall. I look around feverishly trying to find a place to hide or a place I might be able to get weapons from. Suddenly, I remember how I stayed here the first night, how almost every single room has a trap hidden inside. I don't know any of these rooms; I've never been down this hallway. I'm not stupid enough to go through any of the doors.

But maybe Abrielle is.

Opening a large, heavy one I hide behind it. I hear Abrielle coming down the hallway, her breathing labored and her footsteps echoing. Without hesitation she darts into the room that I hold to door open to, thinking I went inside. Or maybe not really thinking at all. I slam the door behind her and lean against it as she pounds on the wood. I hear a grinding noise coming from inside and I cannot help but wonder how she will die.

_What would it take for things to be quiet?_

**Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**

I step inside the all-white room just as the door slams behind me. There are no doors, no windows. Just an empty white room and I. I remember this room. I'm dead. There is no one left to save me. My unborn child and I… we're going to die here. The walls begin to move and I know that it's true. I'm going to die. We're going to die. But… Sterling promised…

I rest my hand on my stomach as the walls grind closer. My baby is going to die here with me and I could have protected them. If only I hadn't been stupid enough to race blindly in here… I shake my head. If I'm going to die then I'm going to die without regrets.

The walls are so close now I could reach out with my arms and each of my hands would be touching one. That is when it occurs to me to look up. I do and I cannot believe my eyes. A trap door resides on the ceiling ten feet above me, a handle sitting there on it. Only animal instinct drives me now as I jump from wall to wall like a squirrel, my hands and arms getting scrapped up in the process. When I'm five feet up it gets to narrow to jump and I'm reduced to crawling. The rough surfaces scratch my arms and my blood leaves small, scarlet stains on the pure white walls.

Finally, my hand reaches the silver handle. I pull the door open to reveal the air vents, just big enough for me to fit inside. Pulling myself up, I slid inside just as the walls make contact and crunch the trap door between the two of them. They move apart almost instantly, resetting themselves back to where they had been before when I first entered the room. I shake my head and crawl through the shadows of the air vents, musty oxygen moving past me in a lazy breeze. I dodge cobwebs as I go and it gets so dark at one point that I can't see my own hands.

I come to a light in the floor of the vents and peer through the rectangular holes to see Peregrine standing in front of the door I had gone through, her expression blank. Soundlessly, I stick my fingers through the grates and pull it upward effortlessly. Placing it beside me, I ready myself to drop down. I freeze when Peregrine turns impatiently, opening the door with her pale hands to find the room empty. She narrows her eyes in suspicion. I push myself out of the vent and land behind her. She wheels around shocked, and I kick my leg out and into her stomach, sending her backwards into the room.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, closing the door. My guts twist inside me as I hear the walls begin to grind. I lean up against the door and slide down it until I'm sitting on the carpet. A single tear falls from my face as I here Peregrine's rapid breathing through the wood. I plug my ears and try hard not to let the haunting sounds reach me, but they do anyway. My body shakes as she begins to scream.

I cannot let this affect me, I have to stay sane. My name is Abrielle Maddox but I prefer people to call me Abby. I come from District Eleven. I am a tribute in the Hunger Games. I fell in love with another tribute. His name was Sterling. He is dead. Now I carry his child. The last remaining tribute is behind this door, being crushed to death.

Peregrine's blood seeps under the doorframe and the warm liquid reaches my hands. I hold my trembling fingers in front of my face and my tears wash the ruby liquid off of me. The sound of cheers from the Capitol citizens echo threw the hallway as I stand and walk outside, my hand resting on my belly. I step onto the stone ground of the courtyard and watch as a hovercraft descends from the sky to take me away from this place. Far away.

My name is Abrielle Maddox but I prefer people to call me Abby. I come from District Eleven. I was a tribute in the Hunger Games. I fell in love with another tribute. His name was Sterling. He is dead. Now I carry his child. I am going to be a mother. I am a Victor.

_What would it take for things to be quiet?_

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**Victor  
****Abrielle, Age 14, District 11**


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